Folarin Balogun's eligibility for Monday's World Cup Round of 16 match against Belgium remained uncertain as of Sunday, after FIFA granted Belgium's appeal of its own decision to reinstate the American striker.
According to The Athletic, as reported by Yahoo Sports, FIFA reversed Balogun's one-game suspension Sunday after he received a red card in the USMNT's group stage match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Within hours, Belgium filed an appeal of that reversal, and FIFA granted it. Both the U.S. Soccer federation and the Belgian federation were asked to submit arguments to FIFA by 5 a.m. PT. A member of the FIFA appeals committee will hear the case, and per The Athletic, that person will not be affiliated with FIFA, UEFA, or CONCACAF.
FIFA has not guaranteed that a ruling will come before the match begins. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET in Seattle.
The reversal of a red card suspension is rare at any World Cup. The situation drew additional scrutiny because the United States is one of the host nations of the 2026 tournament, and reports indicated that U.S. President Donald Trump had gotten involved in the matter. Those circumstances led to widespread questions about FIFA's independence. Belgium was reportedly frustrated that FIFA did not make its explanation for the original reversal public, according to The Athletic.
UEFA issued a sharp public statement in response to FIFA's initial decision. A portion of that statement read: "Football, like any other sports, relies on rules, which are the basis for fair, honest and transparent competition. Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case not. A minimum automatic suspension of one match following a red card is not a discretionary option and does not require the decision of a competent body to be enacted. It is a principle embedded in regulations, which cannot be made subject to exceptions, let alone in the middle of a tournament where several other players have been in the same situation and regularly served their suspension. When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined."
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who was ousted from the organization years ago, also criticized the decision publicly. On social media, Blatter wrote that the game "must never become a playground for political power."
The stakes on the field are significant regardless of how the appeal is resolved. According to CBS Sports, the USMNT has not reached the quarterfinals since 2002. Belgium last reached that stage in 2018, the year they finished third overall. Belgium have reached the quarterfinals in two of the last three World Cup tournaments.
Balogun is the team's top scorer in the tournament. FanDuel Sportsbook lists him at +165 as an anytime goal scorer for Monday's match. The USMNT enters as slight favorites on the 90-minute money line at +150, with Belgium at +180 and a draw at +240. The United States are listed at -124 to advance, with Belgium at +120. The over/under for total goals sits at 2.5.
Belgium's path to this round was not smooth. They trailed Senegal 2-0 at the 80-minute mark of their group stage match before rallying to win 3-2 in overtime. SportsLine analyst Jon Eimer, who CBS Sports noted is on a 25-16-2 run on World Cup picks, commented on that performance: "Belgium can't play against USA like they did against Senegal or they're in for a bad time."
Whether Balogun will be on the field when the match kicks off in Seattle remains an open question. FIFA has set no firm deadline for its ruling.
