There was already plenty of drama at the FIFA World Cup, but things took an unexpected turn ahead of the game against the United States in the Round of 16.
President Donald Trump recently reacted to Folarin Balogun’s ban being raised (Image: AP)
The Belgian Football Association has condemned FIFA after American star Folarin Balogun was suspended following a call from the White House.
Officials from the White House, world football’s governing body, have asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the red card Balogun received in the 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, Give Me Sports reported. FIFA insisted that the White House had no influence on the decision, despite a direct call.
The Monaco forward was given a red card after VAR intervention after catching Tarik Muharemovic with an accidental stud-up challenge. After the ban was suspended, President Donald Trump quickly tweeted, describing the original call as “unreasonable” and saying how happy he was to see the decision.
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Shortly after FIFA’s decision and President Trump’s statement, allegations regarding the alleged phone call began to circulate on social media. Following the claims, the Belgian Football Association hit back with a blistering statement.
“The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) is surprised by FIFA’s decision to declare suspended American player Folarin Balogun eligible to play in the match between the United States and Belgium on Monday, July 6 at 5pm Seattle time. FIFA bases its decision on Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code,” it wrote.
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“This article provides that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee may decide to suspend the enforcement of previously imposed disciplinary sanctions.
However, Article 66.4 of the same FIFA Disciplinary Code clearly states that a red card (sent off) automatically results in a suspension for the team’s next match, as has been the case with all previous red cards issued during this FIFA World Cup.
Balogun was sent off for this tackle (Image: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
“Furthermore, notwithstanding the above, this decision is in direct contradiction to the provisions of the 2026 World Cup Laws set out in Article 10.5. If a player or team official is sent off as a result of a direct or indirect red card (second caution), he will be automatically suspended from the team’s subsequent matches. Further sanctions may also be imposed.”
“The automatic nature of such suspension was also explicitly reaffirmed in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Circular No. 16, which was distributed to all participating Member Associations on 12 May 2026. The same rule was reiterated at the 2026 FIFA World Cup Match Coordination Meeting before each match and included in all 2026 FIFA World Cup workshop presentations.”
“The RBFA is investigating all possible options to protect the legitimate rights of all participating teams and uphold the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both during this FIFA World Cup and in future tournaments.”
Balogun was a key player on the U.S. national team, scoring three goals and providing more assists than any other player on Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
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