The White House actively lobbied FIFA to lift Folarin Balogun's suspension for the crucial World Cup match against Belgium, according to The Guardian. This lobbying effort resulted in Sunday's stunning announcement that Balogun would be available for the host nation's last-16 clash against Belgium. US Soccer spokesperson confirmed that the federation was engaged in the process that ultimately cleared Balogun for the game. The decision gives the US a huge boost as they attempt to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2002. President Donald Trump thanked FIFA for suspending the red card, writing on Truth Social: "Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!"
FIFA's Disciplinary Committee has officially confirmed that United States striker Folarin Balogun will be eligible to play against Belgium on Monday in Seattle. The committee invoked Article 27 of FIFA's code, suspending Balogun's automatic one-match ban and placing it on a one-year probationary period. According to FIFA's official release, 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. If he commits another infringement of a similar nature during the period, the suspension will be immediately reinstated alongside any new penalties. US Soccer expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating "We accept the decision of the Disciplinary Committee and are pleased that Folarin Balogun is eligible to compete tomorrow."
Balogun was shown a controversial red card during the 65th minute of the World Cup Round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina for "serious foul play." As reported by multiple sources, Balogun's cleat landed on the back of defender Tarik Muharemovic's ankle as both players came down to the turf. The red card triggered an automatic one-game suspension, initially nixing him from the round of 16 game against Belgium. The U.S. Soccer Federation had no recourse to appeal the initial red card under FIFA rules, but soccer's governing body made a decision to allow Balogun to play in the next match. Head coach Maurice Pochettino criticized the decision, saying "For me, never is it a red card." He added: "If the intention is to damage the opponent, OK, I understand. But that was a normal action in football that you are, you know, fighting for the ball and your feet land, no?"
US players received news of Balogun's availability in a team meeting on Sunday, with defender Chris Richards describing the process as "cool to finally get the confirmation that it was true." As reported by The Guardian, Richards said about 10 minutes passed between the moment when the US players first started getting reports of Balogun's availability, and getting official confirmation from a US Soccer official by the time they got off the bus for Sunday's training session. Midfielder Weston McKennie expressed frustration with the situation, saying "I think in this stage of the tournament where every player is important, I think it's a bit bogus." Richards, Christian Pulisic and Alex Freeman all said Balogun's suspension had slightly changed the team's preparation ahead of the Belgium game, with the team having been prepared to turn out without him. "We look to Flo to kind of lead the front line, and he's done it really well so far throughout the tournament," Richards noted, adding that "clearly they saw something in the decision that they thought deserved to be overturned."
Balogun's availability is a significant boost for the United States, as he has scored three goals in three starts at the tournament and leads the team with the most goals. The Monaco forward had scored the opening goal in the 45th minute before being sent off in the 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina for a foul on defender Tarik Muharemovic. Balogun leads the U.S. with three goals in the World Cup, including one in the round of 32 before his red card, making him the only player on the team with more than one goal so far in the tournament. "I've always said the fans gave me so much motivation. They showed me so much support," Balogun said after the U.S.'s World Cup opener. "For me, the most important thing has always been to repay that. Today is a great opportunity, and I just want to show the fans I made the right decision." Added Christian Pulisic: "He's lethal right now in front of the goal. We're really lucky to have him. Let's hope it keeps going like this." Balogun had been praised for his reaction to a red card most perceived as harsh, saying "I never want to react out of anger and out of emotion."
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) expressed strong opposition to the decision, stating it was "astonished" at the ruling. The RBFA later pointed out that the suspension of the ban runs in contradiction to FIFA statutes governing the punishment for red cards, which carry a one-game ban "automatically." The Belgian association said it is "investigating all potential options." US Soccer expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating "We accept the decision of the Disciplinary Committee and are pleased that Folarin Balogun is eligible to compete tomorrow." The decision now allows Balogun to face Belgium on Monday in Seattle, the side that ended the US run in 2014, with the winner reaching a quarterfinal the Americans last saw in 2002.
