FIFA Suspends Balogun’s Ban, Allows U.S. Forward to Play

The U.S. soccer team received surprising news when FIFA suspended Folarin Balogun’s one-game ban, making him eligible for the World Cup round of 16 match against Belgium. Balogun, who has scored three goals for the U.S., had been handed a red card for a foul on Tarik Muharemović from Bosnia and Herzegovina during a 2-0 victory in the round of 32.

Typically, a red card results in an automatic one-game suspension. However, players discovered Balogun’s inclusion through social media while en route to training in Seattle. Defender Chris Richards noted initial disbelief among the team, suspecting the news might be AI-generated.

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed approval of FIFA’s decision to overturn the suspension. He praised the action, noting the relationship between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and him, which had previously earned Trump a FIFA Peace Prize. Trump publicly thanked FIFA, describing the reversal as rectifying a great injustice.

Christian Pulisic, a prominent U.S. team member, commented that the original foul lacked intent and that similar or worse fouls had occurred during the tournament. The U.S. Soccer Federation received FIFA’s decision at 10:31 a.m. EDT through its portal.

“The implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year,”

FIFA declared. If Balogun repeats a similar offense within the year, the suspension will be reinstated alongside any other sanctions.

Balogun’s performance included a pivotal goal that led the U.S. against Bosnia. His three goals place him alongside Landon Donovan’s 2010 performance, only surpassed by Bert Patenaude’s record of four goals in 1930. Balogun, 25, plays for Monaco and scored 13 Ligue 1 goals last season. He shifted his national allegiance to the U.S. in 2023, having previously represented England’s under-21 team.

Richards described Balogun as a player who intimidates many defenders. The U.S. team aims to reach the World Cup quarterfinals, last achieved in 2002. The team faced eliminations in the round of 16 in recent tournaments and did not qualify in 2018.

Balogun did not comment directly but shared an image on social media set to Michael Jackson’s “Bad.” Recently, he mentioned that a yellow card would have been a fair outcome for his foul.

FIFA’s decision was based on Article 27, which allows for suspending disciplinary measures and setting probationary periods. Similar precedents saw players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Nicolás Otamendi, and Moisés Caicedo benefit from suspended bans during significant matches.

In a historic case, political pressure in 1962 saw Brazil’s Garrincha permitted to play after a red card in the semifinal.

The AP Soccer Writer James Robson and AP Sports Writer Jim Vertuno contributed additional reporting.