American striker Folarin Balogun was reinstated for Monday’s round of 16 match against Belgium after receiving a red card in the previous round, FIFA announced on Sunday.
Balogun received a controversial red card in the United States’ 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina to start the knockout stage. The card came after the replay showed him inadvertently stepping on the back of the leg of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemović.
A red card usually means that a player is not only sent off in the match he is playing in, but also suspended for the next match. FIFA’s disciplinary committee, an independent judicial body that reviews matches it believes deserve further scrutiny, reviewed Balogun’s misconduct and decided to suspend the suspension.
“In accordance with Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the application of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year,” FIFA said in a statement. “If Folarin Balogun commits another offense of similar nature and seriousness during the probationary period, the suspension will be revoked and the sanction applied without prejudice to any additional sanctions imposed for the new offense.
In a statement to NBC News, U.S. Soccer said it was “pleased” that Balogun was available for the team’s next game.
“We accept the decision of the disciplinary commission and are happy that Folarin Balogun is eligible to compete [Monday]”, the statement read. “All our attention is focused on the Round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle, and we look forward to the continued support of our incredible fans.”
Balogun learned of the decision during a team meeting Sunday, a source familiar with the matter told NBC News.
President Trump took to social media to share his thoughts on the news.
“Thank you to FIFA for doing the right thing and reversing a great injustice!” he said.
FIFA’s disciplinary committee has issued similar decisions in the past, as recently as 2025, when a three-match suspension of Cristiano Ronaldo was shortened to a one-match suspension plus probation.
The initial decision to give Balogun a red card was quickly criticized by the United States.
“For me it’s never a red card,” said head coach Maurice Pochettino after the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He added: “If the intention is to hurt the opponent, fine, I understand. But it was a normal action in football that you fight for the ball and your feet land, right?”
The United States was also unable to appeal the decision, leaving Balogun’s fate in the hands of the disciplinary committee.
“I think at this stage of the tournament where every player is important, I think it’s a little bit wrong,” American midfielder Weston McKennie said of the situation.
Christina Unkel, referee and rules analyst who previously worked as a FIFA referee, said NBC News earlier this month said the misconduct should not have been investigated in the first place because it was neither clear nor obvious.
“It was a little surprising that VAR actually made a downward recommendation for what one might consider a more subjective game, that there is debate on both sides,” Unkel said.
Balogun, 25, has been a star for the United States in the 2026 World Cup.
Born in Brooklyn to Nigerian parents, Balogun was only in the United States because his parents were visiting New York and his mother was deemed too pregnant to return to London.
After playing for England during his youth career, Balogun finally decided to play for the United States when he had to choose a country for the senior level.
Balogun praised U.S. fans for a strong start to the tournament, which included two goals in the team’s opening match against Paraguay.
“I always said the fans gave me so much motivation. They showed me so much support,” Balogun said. after the opening of the World Cup in the United States. “For me, the most important thing has always been to repay this amount. Today is a great opportunity and I just want to show the fans that I made the right decision.”
Christian Pulisic added that evening: “He is deadly at the moment in front of goal. We are really lucky to have him. Let’s hope it continues like this.”
Balogun currently leads the United States in the World Cup with three goals after also scoring in the win over Bosnia-Herzegovina. The team will next play Monday night against Belgium in Seattle.