FIFA has rejected an appeal from the Belgian FA regarding the suspension of U.S. Men's National Team (USMNT) forward Folarin Balogun, clearing him to play in the team's crucial World Cup round of 16 match.
The decision came after former President Donald Trump confirmed he had contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of the one-match ban Balogun received after a red card during a match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1.
"Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!" Trump stated following the news. White House sources confirmed Trump had reached out to Infantino ahead of FIFA's decision to suspend the ban.
Trump stated he called Infantino and asked for a FIFA review, characterizing the red card as a collision rather than a foul. "He (Balogun) didn't do anything wrong, and he's our best player, or one of our best players, a very vital player and they gave him a red card," Trump said.
Infantino confirmed he received a call from Trump and explained that FIFA's independent judicial bodies were handling the matter. "During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA's independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies," Infantino said.
The Belgian FA expressed frustration with the process, stating they had not received grounds for FIFA's decision and were requesting information about the player's eligibility. The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said in a statement, "To date, the RBFA has still not received any grounds for this decision, nor has it received the information it has been requesting since the start of this procedure."
FIFA's Appeal Committee declared the RBFA's case inadmissible, stating that the association was not a party to the proceedings and therefore had no standing to appeal. The committee's decision confirmed the suspension of Balogun's one-match ban for a probationary period of one year.
"In line with article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year," FIFA stated. "If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced."
The USMNT acknowledged FIFA's decision, stating, "We accept the decision of the Disciplinary Committee and are pleased that Folarin Balogun is eligible to compete tomorrow." The team's focus is now on their round of 16 match against Belgium.
Balogun, 25, was sent off for a challenge on defender Tarik Muharemovic. Although initially appearing to be a minor collision, replays showed Balogun's cleats scraping Muharemovic's leg, leading to the direct red card. The decision sparked considerable debate among fans and media.
Belgium boss Rudi Garcia commented on the situation, stating, "I didn't know that at the World Cup the 5th July is now April 1st and is now April Fool's Day. We are defending football – its ethics and history."
The USMNT is seeking to reach the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2002 in their match against Belgium.