Is Folarin Balogun suspended? What to know after USMNT star’s red card

The good news for the United States Men’s National Soccer Team? It’s on to the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after beating Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium (Levi’s Stadium) in it’s first win over a European side since 2021.

The bad news? The USMNT will be without star striker Folarin Balogun.

The 24-year-old AS Monaco forward, who scored the opening goal for the Americans in the 45th minute, was issued a red card in the 64th minute for a challenge on Bosnia’s Tarik Muharemović upon VAR review by head referee Raphael Claus. The card saw him sent off and the USMNT go down to 10 men, but the Stars and Stripes were able to rise to the challenge against an eager Zmajevi squad, adding a shorthanded goal courtesy of an 82nd minute Malik Tillman free kick to all but seal the deal.

Balogun will now have to serve a one-match suspension for the red card, a definite hit for the USMNT. The striker has led the American scoring effort with 3 goals, a pair of which came in the opener against Paraguay on June 12, which saw him become the first American man to score multiple goals in a World Cup match since Fall River’s Bert Patenaude in 1930.

If a player receives a red card, they are immediately sent off the pitch and cannot return for the rest of the match. Their team cannot replace them either, and have to play down a player for the rest of the match.

The player is also automatically suspended for the next match, so their team is unable to play them. Balogun will only be able to dawn the Stars and Stripes this summer if the USMNT defeats Belgium and moves onto the quarterfinals.

If a goalkeeper is issued a red card, the same rules regarding being sent off and the one match suspension apply. However, the suspended player’s team is allowed to bring in another goalkeeper, but must choose an outfield player to send off. If the team doesn’t have another available goalkeeper, they can put an outfield player in net.

The Americans are set to take on Belgium on Monday, July 6 at 8 p.m. at Seattle Stadium (Lumen Field) in the Round of 16.

The Red Devils, who came back from an 86th minute 2-0 deficit to beat Senegal 3-2 in extra time, defeated the USMNT 5-2 in a friendly on March 28 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta Stadium). This will also be the second time the two have met in the World Cup Round of 16 in 12 years, with the Belgians having ended the Americans’ 2014 World Cup run in Brazil with a 2-1 win.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Is Folarin Balogun suspended? What to know after USMNT star’s red card