Belgium has been given the right to appeal FIFA’s decision to suspend US striker Folarin Balogun’s one-match ban, according to a report by The Athletics.
Balogun would miss Monday’s 16th match after receiving a straight red card, which carried an automatic one-match suspension. However, FIFA announced on Sunday that the one-match ban had been suspended.
The ruling sparked widespread debate and a statement from the Royal Belgian Football Association (KBFA) saying it was exploring “all possible options”.
According to The Athleticsthe KBVB formally wrote a letter to FIFA to appeal the case, which was granted. KBVB and US Soccer were reportedly asked to submit their comments by 5 a.m. PT – exactly 12 hours before the match’s scheduled start at Seattle Stadium.
According to the report, a member of FIFA’s appeals committee has been selected to hear the case. The member is not associated with any federation in UEFA or CONCACAF.
Belgium has no guarantee that a ruling will be made before Monday’s match.
Balogun is currently eligible to play and is expected to start. The 25-year-old has scored three goals during this World Cup, including the winning goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina last Wednesday.
However, Balogun was later shown a red card following a VAR review. He would have to wait against Belgium until FIFA’s surprising ruling on Sunday.
President Donald Trump reportedly called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to ask him to review the matter, while Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and other White House officials were also involved. Trump praised the decision in a Truth Social post, writing: “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right and undoing a great injustice!”
READ: FIFA World Cup 2026: US is right to be confident against Belgium, says Pulisic
A red card or suspension cannot be officially appealed. However, FIFA posted this message on its website on Sunday regarding the use of the rulebook in this case: “By application of Article 27 FDC, the implementation of the automatic match suspension for the American player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a trial period of one (1) year.”
US Soccer issued its own statement in response to the action: “We accept the decision of the disciplinary committee and are pleased that Folarin Balogun will be eligible to compete tomorrow.
“Our full attention is focused on the Round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle, and we look forward to the continued support of our great fans.”
The KBVB responded with a long statement from the football federation in which it rejected FIFA’s decision and cited other parts of the disciplinary code and the competition regulations that ensured that decisions on a red card sounded final.
“To safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament,” the statement concludes, “the KBVB is exploring all possible options.”
Belgian coach Rudi Garcia started his pre-match press conference on Sunday afternoon by stating that he did not know that July 5 had become April 1.
READ ALSO: Controversy over Balogun’s red card: Belgian coach Garcia overturns FIFA decision
“Many of our thoughts and opinions are in the release,” Garcia said. “We are not defending the national team or the federation; we are defending football.”
Before the start of the World Cup last month, Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo faced a three-match suspension, with the final two potentially keeping him out of the group stage matches. Instead, he served one match, while the other two were suspended and commuted to a year’s probation.
US coach Mauricio Pochettino defended FIFA’s decision to suspend Balogun’s ban.
“For me there is not much discussion here, although I understand the Belgian perspective and Rudi’s position,” Pochettino told reporters on Sunday. “I understand why people mix up issues – people always do that, because there is often an agenda to mix things up – but in this case I don’t think that’s right.
«If anyone was harmed in this whole situation, it was the United States. Can anyone justify the idea that we weren’t punished? I mean, playing a man down for 30 or 35 minutes in a World Cup knockout match? It’s not like we’re benefiting from it. No, no. There’s no extraordinary gain that we’re getting out of all of this. I mean, ultimately, we’re not victims, but we’re not the villains of this story either.»
Published on July 6, 2026
