FIFA suspends Balogun red card, can face Belgium

FIFA suspends Balogun red card, can face Belgium3hESPN News ServicesRonaldo: 'This will be my last World Cup'17mAlex KirklandFrance star Mbappé calls Paraguay tactics 'ugly'20hESPN News ServicesTuchel urges England to avoid stress in Mexico19hJames OlleyBrazil deny 'anti-Haaland plan' for World Cup tie23hESPN News ServicesMarsch on Canada exit: We were the better team1dAlex KirklandReam: USMNT a 'true representation of America'1dJeff CarlisleAguirre ignores Mexico's Azteca altitude advantage22hTom HamiltonUSMNT coach Pochettino latest World Cup star to throw first pitch. How did he do?Seattle Mariners2dESPNMexico fans' serenata outside England hotel woke me up, and probably Three Lions too3hLizzy BecheranoWorld Cup Daily live: Mexico fans try to give England sleepless night; Brazil face Norway31mESPNPostcards from the World Cup: Seeing the U.

S., Canada and Mexico play at home13hMark OgdenA key USMNT World Cup perk: An embedded barber who keeps players' hair looking fresh13hSam BordenGrades for every team eliminated from the World Cup: Cape Verde get an A7hRyan O'HanlonFrance pass toughest World Cup test yet in beating feisty Paraguay20hGabriele Marcotti, +2 MoreWorld Cup VAR review: Did France deserve deciding penalty or was it really a dive?21hAndy DaviesWorld Cup 2026 Power Rankings before round of 16: Who's No.

1?1dJames TylerPride, joy and anxiety: What watching a family member play at a World Cup means8hRob DawsonThanks to Ounahi magic, Morocco sweep past Canada and into World Cup quarterfinals23hAlex KirklandInside Real Madrid's transfer plans: Mourinho pulling strings to build 'win now' team7hAlex Kirkland and RodraTransfer rumors, news: Chelsea, Madrid, Barça chase Man City's Dias12hESPNCan Egypt get the ball to their stars? One big question for every World Cup round-of-16 team1dRyan O'HanlonGrades for every team eliminated from the World Cup: Cape Verde get an A7hRyan O'HanlonOdds to win the World Cup: France, Morocco advance to the next round4hDoug GreenbergplayBalogun looks back on red card vs.

Bosnia and Herzegovina (1:55)ESPN News ServicesMultiple AuthorsJul 5, 2026, 12:51 PM ETEmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFIFA has suspended the red card U.S. striker Folarin Balogun received in the team's match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, making him available to face Belgium in the round of 16 at the World Cup.

In a statement on its website, FIFA said: "By operation of Article 27 FDC, the implementation of the automatic match suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one [1] year."The U.S.

will take on Belgium on Monday night at 8 p.m. ET in Seattle, seeking to advance to its first World Cup quarterfinal appearance since 2002.

A statement by U.S. Soccer said: "We accept the decision of the Disciplinary Committee and are pleased that Folarin Balogun is eligible to compete tomorrow."

Our full attention is focused on the Round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle, and we look forward to the continued support of our amazing fans."U.S.

President Donald Trump also weighed in on the matter, saying on Truth Social: "Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!"The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) also put out a statement expressing its shock."The Royal Belgian Football Association is astonished by FIFA's decision to declare suspended United States player Folarin Balogun eligible to play in the USA-Belgium match on Monday, 6 July at 5:00 p.

m. [Seattle time]," the statement read."FIFA bases its decision on Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.

This provision states that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee may decide to suspend the enforcement of a previously imposed disciplinary sanction."However, Article 66.4 of the same FIFA Disciplinary Code clearly provides that a red card [sending-off] automatically results in a suspension for the team's next match, as has been the case for all previous red cards issued during this FIFA World Cup."

Furthermore, and irrespective of the above, the decision is in direct contradiction with the provisions of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations, as set out in Article 10.5: 'If a player or team official is sent off as a result of a direct or indirect red card [second caution,] they will automatically be suspended from their team's subsequent match. In addition, further sanctions may be imposed.'"

The automatic nature of such a suspension was also explicitly reaffirmed in FIFA World Cup 2026 Circular No. 16, which was distributed to all participating member associations on 12 May 2026."The same rule is reiterated at every FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Coordination Meeting prior to each match and is included in all FIFA World Cup 2026 workshop presentations."

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 potenti