SEATTLE, United States — Folarin Balogun will play for the United States against Belgium in Monday’s World Cup round of 16 match, after Fifa’s disciplinary committee suspended the one-game ban tied to his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The ruling removes a significant absence for coach Mauricio Pochettino’s side as it seeks its first quarter-final appearance since 2002. Balogun has scored three goals in three starts this tournament and had been the team’s most consistent attacking threat before his sending off.
The reversal came a day before kickoff, giving the US squad limited time to adjust its planning after nearly a week of preparing for the match without its top scorer. The Americans secured their Round of 32 berth on June 19 with a group-stage win over Australia in Seattle, setting up the run that has now reached the knockout stage. Pochettino had been working through alternative attacking options in training, with forward Ricardo Pepi expected to start in Balogun’s place had the ban held. Fifa confirmed Balogun’s availability on its official tournament site.
Fifa Invokes Article 27 To Clear Folarin Balogun
Fifa’s disciplinary committee said the decision was made under Article 27 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code, which allows a judicial body to suspend a sanction rather than rescind it outright. Balogun will serve a probationary period of one year, during which any offense of a similar nature and comparable gravity would trigger enforcement of the original one-match ban. The red card itself remains on record, and only the accompanying suspension has been paused.
Fifa applied the same provision earlier in the tournament to Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who received a red card against the Republic of Ireland that would otherwise have kept him out of Portugal’s opening World Cup matches. Fifa has not published detailed reasoning for applying Article 27 in Balogun’s case specifically, and no additional finding or allegation beyond the original red card has been issued against him.
US Soccer and Officials Respond
US Soccer said in a statement that it accepts the disciplinary committee’s decision and is pleased that Balogun is eligible to compete. The federation said its focus is now on the round of 16 match in Seattle, and it thanked supporters for their continued backing of the team. A US Soccer official said Sunday that the federation had remained engaged in the process that led to the ruling, though the official did not detail what that engagement involved. Details of the ruling were first reported by The Athletic, ahead of US Soccer’s own confirmation.
President Donald Trump also commented on the decision, posting on his Truth Social platform that Fifa had reversed what he described as a serious injustice. The White House has not issued a formal statement beyond the president’s personal post, and Fifa has not responded publicly to it. The comment reflects Trump’s own characterization of the ruling rather than any stated position from Fifa or US Soccer.
How the Red Card Unfolded
Balogun was sent off during the United States’ last-32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina after a collision with a defender that was not initially flagged as a foul by the on-field officials. The video assistant referee recommended a review after replay appeared to show contact between Balogun’s foot and the defender’s ankle. Following that review, the referee issued a straight red card for violent conduct, ending Balogun’s night in the second half.
The call drew immediate criticism from the US coaching staff and players, who described the contact as unintentional and out of proportion to the punishment. Pochettino said after the match that he never viewed the challenge as red-card conduct, calling it a normal footballing action that happened by accident rather than a deliberate act. Fifa and US Soccer officials said at the time that the one-match suspension accompanying a red card could not be appealed under World Cup tournament rules, which limited the federation’s options in the days that followed.
Balogun’s Reaction Since the Sending-Off
Balogun described the days following the red card as surreal, and had drawn praise in the interim for how he handled a decision that many observers and pundits viewed as harsh given the apparent lack of intent. He said he did not want to react out of anger or emotion, adding that young fans watching the tournament, including children who look up to the team, deserved to see players handle setbacks the right way even when a decision feels unjust.
That measured response, delivered before Sunday’s reversal, now sits alongside a very different outcome for the striker heading into Monday’s match. His availability restores an attacking option Pochettino’s staff had spent days preparing to do without, at a stage of the tournament where squad depth and finishing have separated contenders from teams heading home. The United States has not advanced past the World Cup round of 16 since 2002, and Monday’s result against Belgium in Seattle will determine whether that drought continues or ends.
