Folarin Balogun, a key striker for the U.S. men's national soccer team, will be eligible to play in the team's upcoming Round of 16 World Cup match after FIFA overturned his one-game suspension. The ban was issued following a red card Balogun received for stepping on the ankle of an opponent during a previous match.
The U.S. Soccer Federation appealed the suspension, emphasizing the lack of intent from Balogun and noting that the match referee did not issue a card in real-time before VAR intervened. FIFA's decision on Sunday allows Balogun, who has scored in each of the team's three World Cup games, to participate in the significant match against Belgium.
The controversy arose after Balogun received a straight red card for an incident involving Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic in a Round of 32 match. The appeal focused on the accidental nature of the contact and the VAR review process that led to the expulsion.