FIFA has rejected the French Football Federation’s appeal to overturn Michael Olise’s yellow card, head coach Didier Deschamps said on Wednesday. The ruling means the booking from France’s round-of-16 win over Paraguay will stand.

Michael Olise has to be careful now. (Getty Images via AFP)

“The yellow card has not changed,” Deschamps said during his press conference in Boston, ahead of France’s quarter-final clash against Morocco. “We were notified by FIFA this morning, it has been maintained.”

If the Bayern Munich winger receives another booking in Friday’s tie at Boston Stadium, he will trigger an automatic one-match ban. And if France win that match, Olise will be forced to sit out the semi-final against the winner of the Spain versus Belgium quarter-final.

Olise was booked in stoppage time of the 1-0 win in Philadelphia following a clash with Matías Galarza. The Paraguayan midfielder fell to the ground holding his face, but video replays showed Olise only grabbed his shirt. Believing the referee had made an erroneous decision, France appealed the yellow card and the potential suspension.

The FFF stated its appeal was not a direct response to the Balogun case and that Olise's booking was unfair on its own. However, the Balogun decision created a clear precedent for teams to challenge on-field disciplinary actions. A statement from UEFA had labelled that decision as “crossing a red line” and left the integrity of the sport at stake. England manager Thomas Tuchel, speaking after the last-16 win over Mexico, used the bookings of Declan Rice (yellow) and Jarell Quansah (red) from that match to ask, “Where is the line (for an appeal)?”

Losing Olise for a semi-final would be a major setback for France. The 24-year-old playmaker has been one of the standout players of the 2026 World Cup, recording five assists so far and serving as a vital part of the French attack. But, Olise is not the only player at risk of missing a semi-final. Several other players from both sides enter Thursday's quarter-final carrying a yellow card. French midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni and defender Jules Kounde are one booking away from a suspension, while Moroccan captain and right-back Achraf Hakimi and midfielder Sofyan Amrabat both find themselves in the same situation, too.