Folarin Balogun, the United States men’s national team striker, has been cleared to play against Belgium in the World Cup Round of 16 after FIFA lifted his one-game suspension. The 25-year-old forward was facing an automatic one-match suspension following a straight red card during the USMNT’s 2-0 Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1.
FIFA’s Decision
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee confirmed that Balogun will be eligible to play against Belgium on Monday in Seattle. The committee noted that the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year. This means that while the red card remains on Balogun’s record, his mandatory match suspension is put on hold.
US Soccer expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating that their full attention is focused on the Round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle. President Donald Trump also applauded FIFA’s decision on social media.
Reaction from Belgium
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) expressed astonishment at FIFA’s decision, stating that it is in direct contradiction with the provisions of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations. The RBFA is currently reviewing its options moving forward.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
