USMNT striker Folarin Balogun, who received a straight red card in the United States’ Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, will be available for their Round of 16 match against Belgium.
Balogun’s red card came in the 64th minute against Bosnia, when he came out on the wrong end of a tackle and landed on defender Tarik Muharemovic‘s ankle. After several minutes of consulting VAR, referee Raphael Claus issued the striker a red card.
“For me? Never a red card,” head coach Mauricio Pochettino said. “Never an intention to step on the player. It was a normal action in football that happened by accident.”
Players who receive red cards ordinarily get a one-game suspension immediately afterwards, and FIFA officials after the game told The Athletic the US could not appeal to have the suspension removed. Now, though, FIFA has “suspended” Balogun’s suspension.
Folarin Balogun will be available to play the USMNT’s round of 16 match against Belgium with his one-game red-card ban suspended.
The 25-year-old received a straight red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Multiple FIFA officials told The Athletic after the game that a team is… pic.twitter.com/TDTnnLvcnC
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) July 5, 2026
Folarin Balogun will be available to play the USMNT’s round of 16 match against Belgium with his one-game red-card ban suspended.
The 25-year-old received a straight red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Multiple FIFA officials told The Athletic after the game that a team is… pic.twitter.com/TDTnnLvcnC
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) July 5, 2026
Article 27 of FIFA’s disciplinary code says “the judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure.
“If the person benefiting from a suspended sanction commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked by the judicial body and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”
Balogun’s suspension has been pushed back, likely past the end of the World Cup, and, barring any further disciplinary infractions, he should be available for the remainder of the tournament.
Balogun has been perhaps the most impactful player on the team all tournament, registering a goal contribution in each of the three matches he has appeared in.
He is the United States’ top scorer in the tournament, and his participation against Belgium is a huge boost for the host nation. Belgium, despite their recent struggles, is still a great team, and the US will have to be at the top of their game to advance to the quarter finals for the first time since 2002.
The two teams last faced in an international friendly in March, where Belgium took a 5-2 win. Prior to that, their last meeting in a competitive setting came in 2014, where the US lost in extra time despite an all-time performance from goalkeeper Tim Howard.
The United States’ next game comes Monday at 5:00 p.m. PT.
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