Folarin Balogun, the United States men’s national team striker, has been cleared to play against Belgium in the World Cup Round of 16. This decision comes after the FIFA Disciplinary Committee suspended his one-match ban following a straight red card during the USMNT’s 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
FIFA’s Decision
The committee utilized Article 27 of its code, allowing for the suspension of the implementation of an on-pitch disciplinary measure under a probationary period. As a result, while the red card remains on Balogun’s record, his mandatory match suspension is put on hold. If he commits another infringement of a similar nature during the probationary period, the suspension will be immediately reinstated alongside any new penalties.
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.
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) expressed astonishment at FIFA’s decision and is currently reviewing its options moving forward. The RBFA stated that the decision is in direct contradiction with the provisions of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
