Why can Folarin Balogun play for the USMNT against Belgium despite his suspension?

Folarin Balogun has dominated headlines over the past 24 hours, with the USMNT, the Belgian Football Federation, and even the U.S. government all weighing in on his eligibility. The central question remains the same: why is the striker allowed to play in the Round of 16 against Belgium after receiving a red card?

Balogun is eligible to face Belgium after FIFA overturned the one-game suspension that stemmed from his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Determining that the incident did not warrant a sending-off, the governing body lifted the ban, noting that “the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year.”

The ruling, announced shortly before the scheduled pre-match press conference, drew immediate backlash, particularly from the Belgian camp. Head coach Rudi Garcia did not hold back, dismissing the decision with a cutting “It’s April Fools” remark, a sentiment echoed in the Belgian federation’s formal statement.

USMNT players, caught off guard while heading into their final training session, said they learned of the decision through social media. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino stood firmly behind the outcome, saying “It was a fair decision since it’s a punishment way too big in an action that’s completely involuntary.”

The controversy escalated further when reports emerged that the U.S. government had contacted FIFA to request a review. President Donald Trump confirmed his involvement at a Monday press conference: “It’s one thing to penalize somebody for the game, but how do you penalize them for a game that hasn’t been played yet? It’s very unfair. You can’t do that. So, yes, I asked for a review by FIFA.“

FIFA president Gianni Infantino responded with a statement emphasizing that no outside pressure had influenced the decision. “FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them,” part of the statement read.

Belgian FA threatens action over Balogun’s eligibility

With the ban lifted and Belgium’s appeal rejected, Balogun, the USMNT’s leading scorer with three goals, is expected to start against the Red Devils. His inclusion, however, has prompted the Belgian federation to threaten further legal action.

Hours before kickoff on Monday, the Belgian FA released a statement warning that consequences would follow if Balogun appeared on the team sheet: “The RBFA has informed the United States Soccer Federation that it contests the eligibility of the player, should the player be listed on the referee’s team sheet. This leaves all further actions open.“

The federation also directed pointed criticism at FIFA for failing to provide transparency throughout the process. “RBFA has still not received ANY grounds for this decision, nor has it received the information it has been requesting since the start of this procedure id est a copy of the decision and the motivation declaring the player eligible as well as the referee’s report. This is a breach of FIFA regulations,” the statement read.