The Royal Belgian Football Association has issued a warning to the United States after Folarin Balogun, a player for the U.S. Men's National Team (USMNT), was cleared to play in a World Cup match despite a previous red card suspension. The decision to overturn the ban came after an intervention that reportedly involved U.S. President Donald Trump.
Balogun received a red card during the Round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, which should have made him ineligible for the subsequent Round of 16 game. However, FIFA announced Sunday that it had suspended the one-game ban, allowing Balogun to be available for the match against Belgium. This action followed direct engagement from President Trump, who along with government officials, U.S. Soccer, and a legal team, reportedly requested a review of Balogun's suspension from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, according to a report from The New York Times.
The Belgian football federation formally appealed FIFA's decision, but the appeal was dismissed by the soccer governing body on Monday. The RBFA stated in a release that it has not yet received any official grounds for FIFA's decision or the requested documentation, including a copy of the ruling and the referee's report. The association considers this a breach of FIFA regulations and has informed U.S. Soccer that it contests Balogun's eligibility if he is listed on the match's team sheet, reserving the right to take further action.
FIFA cited Article 27 of its disciplinary code in suspending Balogun's ban, a provision that grants its judicial bodies the authority to suspend disciplinary sanctions, in full or in part, and implement a probation period. The circumstances surrounding the decision have raised questions about the integrity of FIFA's process, particularly given the reported involvement of the U.S. President.
The USMNT and Belgium were scheduled to face off Monday night at 8 p.m. ET at Seattle Stadium.