Ronald Blum
Folarin Balogun’s one-game ban has been surprisingly suspended by FIFA, clearing the American forward to play in the team’s World Cup round of 16 match against Belgium, a decision that was praised by US President Donald Trump and prompted outrage from the Europeans.
Balogun, America’s stand-out forward with three goals, received a red card for stepping awkwardly on the right ankle of Tarik Muharemović of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a 2-0 round of 32 win.
A red card triggers an automatic one-game suspension, but the US players learned of Balogun’s availability when social media posts started popping up during the 10-minute bus ride on Sunday from their hotel to training at the University of Washington’s Husky Soccer Stadium.
“I think a lot of us thought it was AI at first,” defender Chris Richards said. “We weren’t sure if it was true or not.”
Trump praised FIFA’s decision. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has repeatedly made efforts to grow close to Trump, even awarding him a FIFA Peace Prize at the World Cup draw.
The White House made a call to FIFA to ask Infantino to review Balogun’s red card, according to a person familiar with the call who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly about the matter.
“Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!” Trump said in a social media post.
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was “astonished”.
“The decision is in direct contradiction with the provisions of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations,” it said in a statement.
“In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all potential options.”
Balogun’s red card and suspension for the Belgium match had been one of the most controversial and potentially consequential decisions of the World Cup.
“If you look at the foul, it was just zero intent at all,” US star Christian Pulisic said. “I felt like there was much worse ones that went on this tournament.”
The US Soccer Federation learned of the decision in a message sent by FIFA in its portal.
“The implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year,” FIFA announced.
“If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”
A 25-year-old who plays for Monaco, Balogun scored 13 Ligue 1 goals last season. He has 12 goals in 30 international appearances. He was born in Brooklyn to Nigerian parents who were living in London and in 2023 opted to change his national team affiliation from England, which he had represented at the under-21 level.
“He strikes fear into a lot of defenders,” Richards said.
US, a co-host of the tournament, is seeking to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 2002.
On Friday, Balogun said he thought a yellow card instead of red “would have been fair”.
FIFA said its decision relied on Article 27 of disciplinary committee rules.
“The judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure. By suspending the implementation of the sanction, the judicial body subjects the person sanctioned to a probationary period of one to four years,” the rule states.
FIFA in November deferred the final two games of a three-match ban for Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo for a red card against Ireland in a World Cup qualifier, allowing him to play at the start of the World Cup.
AP
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