Folarin Balogun will play for the US against Belgium in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match in Seattle on July 6, after the ban for the red card he received in the Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina was suspended.
Balogun had been sent off following a VAR review for a challenge on Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic during the USA’s 2-0 win in the round of 32. The red card initially carried an automatic one-match ban, ruling the striker out of the Belgian match, before FIFA suspended the implementation of the sanction for a one-year trial period.
It later emerged that US President Donald Trump had called Gianni Infantino in an attempt to overturn the decision, although Infantino said he had “explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judiciary and that the matter would be decided by the appropriate authorities in due course.”
READ ALSO: FIFA President Infantino responds to Balogun’s red card controversy ahead of US vs Belgium
Belgium tried to appeal the decision to suspend Balogun’s red card, but a statement from FIFA the appeal was declared inadmissible “not a party to the proceedings and as such has no standing to appeal the decision.”
It was further reported by The Athletics that Belgium had told US Soccer to ‘reserve all options’ if Balogun is named on the team sheet tonight.
The Monaco striker is therefore available to represent the US tonight.
Published on July 6, 2026
