Folarin Balogun will miss the United States men's national team's Round of 16 World Cup match against Belgium after receiving a controversial red card during the team's 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday.
Balogun was ejected from the match in the first half after a video assistant referee (VAR) review determined he had committed a "serious" offense. While going for a loose ball, Balogun's foot incidentally landed on an opponent's ankle, causing it to roll awkwardly. The referee, after consulting VAR, issued a direct red card.
Under FIFA's 2026 World Cup regulations, decisions made by the referee regarding facts connected with play are final and not subject to appeal, unless otherwise stipulated in the FIFA Disciplinary Code. Article 10.5 explicitly states that any player receiving a direct or indirect red card will automatically be suspended for their team's subsequent match.
The International Football Association Board guidelines for VAR suggest that slow-motion replays should generally be avoided when determining the "intensity" of an offense or whether it was a physical offense. However, it can be used to determine "facts, e.g. position of offence/player, point of contact for physical offences and handball." The IFAB defines serious foul play as lunging at an opponent with excessive force or endangering their safety.
While Balogun's action appeared to be unintentional, the red card means the USMNT must proceed without its leading goal scorer for the crucial match against Belgium on Monday. The team was forced to play the remainder of the game against Bosnia and Herzegovina with 10 players.
The United States is considered a slight favorite against Belgium, but the team's odds are expected to have been impacted by Balogun's absence. The match is scheduled to take place in Seattle.