Balogun cleared for Belgium clash as FIFA faces backlash over ban review

Folarin Balogun can play for the USA against Belgium after FIFA suspended the ban that followed his red card in the previous round. Donald Trump said he had asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the case, while Infantino maintained that FIFA’s disciplinary process remained independent.

The decision has created a major governance dispute before the knockout tie. The Belgian FA challenged the outcome but FIFA rejected its appeal, saying Belgium was not entitled to contest the disciplinary ruling because it was not part of the original proceedings.

UEFA criticised FIFA’s handling of the matter, framing it as a concern for football’s integrity. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter also questioned the optics of political contact around a disciplinary case, while England manager Thomas Tuchel raised broader concerns about where such interventions might lead.

Balogun had been sent off after a challenge involving Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemovic in the USA’s last-32 win. The controversy now sits at the intersection of refereeing, tournament discipline and institutional trust, with Belgium leaving open the possibility of further action.