Two members of the United States men's national soccer team staff were suspended by FIFA ahead of the team's FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match against Belgium on Monday.
Team manager Sam Zapatka and US Soccer Federation vice president of security Frank Pannell were barred from attending the match, according to multiple media reports published on Tuesday.
FIFA reportedly issued the suspensions shortly before kick-off but did not publicly disclose the reason for the disciplinary action.
The US Soccer Federation also declined to provide details, stating only that the suspensions were unrelated to its successful appeal to have striker Folarin Balogun's red-card suspension deferred.
According to ESPN, the sanctions stemmed from an alleged breach of FIFA match protocols, involving individuals accessing restricted areas where they were not authorised to be. The report added that no physical altercation took place.
Front Office Sports reported that the suspensions may also be linked to an incident following the United States' 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on 1 July in Santa Clara, California.
Balogun, who was sent off in the second half of that match for a dangerous tackle, allegedly returned to the field after the final whistle to celebrate with teammates. Under FIFA regulations, players who receive a red card are prohibited from returning to the pitch during or after the match in which they were dismissed.
Balogun was eligible to play against Belgium after his suspension was delayed and started Monday's Round of 16 fixture, which the United States lost 4-1.
Zapatka joined the US Soccer Federation in 2015 and has served as the men's national team manager since 2020, according to media reports.
Pannell previously worked for the United States Secret Service, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and in the private sector before joining US Soccer, according to a profile published earlier this year by The Setonian, the student newspaper of Seton Hall University.
Neither FIFA nor the US Soccer Federation has indicated whether any further disciplinary action will be taken.