Balogun’s Suspension Lifted Ahead of Crucial Match

SEATTLE — On the eve of what could be a pivotal moment in U.S. men’s soccer history, a sense of justice prevailed.

Folarin Balogun, an American striker who has scored in each of his three World Cup appearances, is set to face Belgium in the upcoming Round of 16 match.

On Sunday, FIFA reversed Balogun’s controversial one-match suspension, which had barred him from participating against Belgium. The suspension stemmed from a straight red card issued for an accidental incident where he stepped on the ankle of Bosnia and Herzegovina defender, Tarik Mujaremović, during Wednesday’s Round of 32 match.

It feels fair to say that the decision was just—there was no evidence pointing to any malicious intent on Balogun’s part. Interestingly, the match referee didn’t even show a yellow card initially; it was only after VAR intervention that he was sent off.

Sources revealed that U.S. Soccer had threatened legal action against FIFA for what they deemed a misapplication of VAR, pushing for the suspension’s reversal.

A group under U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson and COO Dan Helfrich immediately pursued this route right after the U.S. beat Bosnia. This wasn’t just a casual effort; lawyers from both U.S. Soccer and even the White House were engaged, and President Trump reached out directly to FIFA President Gianni Infantino about it.

Infantino took the case to FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, which ultimately decided to lift the ban.

Following this decision, Trump expressed his satisfaction on social media, thanking FIFA for correcting “a great injustice.”

U.S. Soccer has also floated the idea of involving the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for similar cases in the future, indicating a serious commitment to resolving disputes with FIFA.

While they were gearing up for the match, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino was not directly involved in the appeals process but acknowledged that the federation was working hard to protect their player. “It’s good to see justice served,” he noted, marking the earlier red card decision as unfair.

Balogun’s case notably highlights past incidents, such as when FIFA reduced Cristiano Ronaldo’s suspension in 2025, emphasizing that such adjustments, although not common, are feasible.

Moreover, in Balogun’s situation, officials misapplied VAR guidelines by considering intent instead of merely assessing contact, which is against the protocol.

The announcement of Balogun’s return rippled through the U.S. soccer community around 9:30 a.m. Sunday, just as the team readied for practice at the University of Washington.

Excitement bubbled over as players took to the field. Defender Chris Richards admitted initial disbelief, stating many thought the news was too good to be true. “I’m really happy,” he said, noting Balogun’s ability to terrify defenders.

Striker Christian Pulisic shared his enthusiasm, emphasizing that seeing Balogun’s smile would invigorate the team for the challenge ahead.

Reflecting on the foul, Balogun felt the lack of intent and mentioned, “I thought there were worse fouls in the tournament.” He praised the maturity in how the situation was handled, describing it as positive and deserving of a good outcome.

In closing, it seems like justice was ultimately achieved just in time, ensuring that the right decision was made before the critical matchup.