FIFA has suspended the disciplinary ban imposed on United States international Folarin Balogun, allowing him to feature in Monday’s round-of-16 match against Belgium. According to reports, US President Donald Trump held a phone call with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, during which he reportedly requested a review of the forward’s suspension. Balogun was initially shown a red card in the previous match against Bosnia and Herzegovina following a VAR review, although US head coach Mauricio Pochettino had questioned the decision. FIFA stated that the enforcement of the one-year suspension has been temporarily suspended under Article 27 of its disciplinary code, while confirming that the red card itself has not been fully overturned. The governing body added that the sanction could be reinstated if similar offences occur in the future. The decision has drawn strong criticism from the Belgian Football Association, which argued that a red card should automatically result in at least a one-match suspension and described the ruling as inconsistent with competition regulations. In contrast, the United States Soccer Federation accepted the decision, although several players reportedly learned of the development via social media while travelling to training. The controversy has intensified political and public debate around FIFA’s disciplinary independence ahead of the high-profile knockout match between the United States and Belgium.
