USA striker, Folarin Balogun, has been cleared to play in today’s World Cup round-of-16 clash against Belgium, after FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee suspended the one-match ban triggered by his red card against Bosnia-Herzegovina. FIFA said its decision to revoke the suspension relied on Article 27 of the disciplinary committee rules.
Balogun was sent off after a VAR review showed him stepping on an opponent’s leg during the USA’s 2-0 win. Born to Nigerian parents, Balogun has scored 3 goals at the 2026 World Cup, placing him in second place for the most goals by a US player in a single World Cup tournament
Belgium’s football federation says it’s “astonished” by the reversal, arguing it contradicts FIFA’s own rules. The federation says it is “investigating all potential options” in response.
According to reports, US President Donald Trump personally called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to ask for a review of the suspension, a call Trump later credited with what he called “reversing a great injustice” on social media. FIFA has not said whether that call influenced its decision.
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