World Cup
FIFA’s stunning Balogun reversal leaves USMNT stunned before Belgium clash
On a team bus rolling toward training in Seattle on Sunday morning, U.S. defender Chris Richards and his teammates were listening to music and discussing Monday’s World Cup Round of 16 tie against Belgium when social media erupted. Folarin Balogun, the team’s leading scorer, had been cleared to play after FIFA rescinded his automatic one-game ban for a controversial red card received against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“A lot of us thought it was AI at first,” Richards said. “We weren’t sure if it was true or not.” The reversal meant Balogun would be available for the Belgium match after being placed on one-year probation instead of serving the suspension. FIFA did not provide further explanation, and the U.S. Soccer Federation confirmed it had been “engaged in the process with the disciplinary committee.”
In a statement, USSF said it “accepts the decision of the disciplinary committee and are pleased that Folarin Balogun is eligible to compete tomorrow.” Balogun went from suspended spectator to available striker in under 31 hours, one of the World Cup’s most dramatic reversals.
Belgium’s Royal Football Association strongly objected, calling FIFA’s decision “astonishing.” The federation argued the governing body had contradicted its own disciplinary code and World Cup regulations, which state that a player sent off automatically serves a one-match suspension. It said it was “investigating all potential options” to protect “the fundamental principles of fair play.”
Balogun did not speak to the media after the announcement. Coach Mauricio Pochettino was scheduled to address the situation during his regularly scheduled press conference at Lumen Field on Sunday afternoon. Belgium coach Rudi Garcia and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois were also expected to comment later in the day.
U.S. star Christian Pulisic said, “There was much worse [incidents] that went on in this tournament. It just feels right.” He added that the team was prepared to play without Balogun and that others could step up. “The team would have been ready without him,” Pulisic said. “We have guys that can step up. There's no doubt about it.”
Balogun received the red card in the 64th minute of the 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina after his right foot came down on Tarik Muharemović’s right ankle. Initially, referee Raphael Claus did not show a card, but after VAR recommended a review, Claus ejected Balogun. Claus faced criticism for relying on slow-motion replay rather than full-match context.
“When you slow stuff down, ultimately it can look worse than what it was,” Richards said. “For me, it's a bit harsh, but maybe I have a bit of bias towards it.” On Saturday, Balogun said he thought a yellow card would have been fair and accepted the decision, shaking the referee’s hand after the match.
Without an appeals process, the U.S. began preparing to face Belgium without Balogun, likely with Ricardo Pepi leading the line. Belgium would have been without a three-goal scorer in the Round of 16. Balogun continued training as normal, preparing for a potential quarterfinal against Spain or Portugal on Friday in Inglewood.
Pulisic also commented on VAR, saying, “I'm not going to go and criticize VAR. It's done a lot of good things too. Unfortunately, it kind of went against us in that last one. … It can go both ways.”
Defender Alex Freeman said, “The decision, right or wrong, we're just happy he's here with us.” He acknowledged the challenge ahead against Belgium, which beat the U.S. 5-2 in a March friendly in Atlanta. “Obviously, he found out he can play, but now it's, how can you stay mentally prepared to be able to go out, perform and still put out his momentum and actions he's had?”