The match official labelled "suspect" by United States President Donald Trump has been praised by FIFA referees' chief Pierluigi Collina.
Trump criticised Brazilian referee Raphael Claus on Monday after he sent off US striker Folarin Balogun following a VAR review in the round-of-32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Balogun's red card was controversially suspended on Sunday, allowing him to play in the Americans' round-of-16 tie against Belgium -- which they lost 4-1 on Monday in Seattle.
FIFA issued a statement praising Claus as "one of the world's leading professional referees and a valued member of Team One [the referees team] at the FIFA World Cup."
It added: "Throughout his career, he has consistently demonstrated the highest standards of professionalism and integrity."
Collina said: "Raphael Claus is refereeing at his second FIFA World Cup having been with us in Qatar in 2022. He is an experienced and highly respected referee and we maintain full confidence in him as a trusted match official."
Claus could even be a contender to referee the final, with Brazil having exited the tournament at the round-of-16 stage.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who was personally called by Trump to "review" the Balogun red card, offered up a general tribute to the match officials without mentioning Claus by name.
The Swiss wrote on Instagram: "The FIFA World Cup 2026 has been an overwhelming success and a major contributor to this is our fantastic group of match officials -- Team One.
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"The tournament is being officiated by the best in the world, selected through a rigorous process which considered their skills, consistency, and quality over a sustained period.
"Once more, I reiterate that we must respect the referees and respect the rules that govern our game. It is very simple and cannot ever be overstated -- without referees, there is no football."
The referee committee for CONMEBOL issued a statement on Monday backing the FIFA referee who issued Balogun's red card, Raphael Claus, recognizing his "professionalism, honesty, objectivity and professional suitability" for the role.