As per FA rules, if Manchester City’s striker, Erling Haaland, is charged and proven to have breached social media guidelines, a monetary fine would likely be the expected consequence.
During the Tottenham-Manchester City game, Haaland contested referee Simon Hooper’s decision to halt a late City counterattack on X. This occurred shortly after Haaland was fouled, yet the referee signaled to continue play. Haaland promptly rose and passed to Jack Grealish for a potential goal, only for Hooper to blow the whistle, causing frustration among Haaland and his teammates.
In response to this on-field incident, Haaland posted a video of the event on his X account (formerly Twitter) with the caption “wtf [what the f—].” His father, Alfie, swiftly reacted, labeling it as “terrible.”
The FA may scrutinize Haaland for violating their social media guidelines, particularly Rule E3.1, which covers “Comments that are improper, bring the game into disrepute, or are threatening, abusive, indecent, or insulting,” as well as “Comments about match officials that imply bias, attack integrity, or are personally offensive.”
If the FA investigates, within three working days of becoming aware of Haaland’s post, they’ll either seek written explanations or file charges. Haaland would then have three business days to provide any necessary clarifications.
After this initial period, the FA would decide whether to press disciplinary charges, allowing Haaland an additional three working days to respond. A hearing before the Regulatory Commission would occur ten working days after the FA’s receipt of Haaland’s response.
Considering the holidays, any ruling might occur around January 5, potentially permitting Haaland to appeal.
Haaland can’t claim third-party authorship for the post, as FA guidelines hold players accountable for their social media content. Removing the message won’t shield him from potential repercussions either.
The FA doesn’t have fixed penalties for social media comments but often applies financial fines in such cases, potentially safeguarding Haaland from suspension if they investigate, prosecute, and penalize him.
Contact has been made with the FA for their input.
