Belgium has been granted the right to appeal Fifa’s contentious decision to suspend the one-match ban imposed on United States national team striker Folarin Balogun, according to reports.
The move comes ahead of Monday’s crucial round of 16 fixture, casting a shadow of uncertainty over the highly anticipated match.
Balogun had initially been set to miss the game after receiving a direct red card, which typically carries an automatic one-match suspension. However, Fifa announced on Sunday that the ban had been suspended, a ruling that immediately sparked widespread debate and a strong reaction from the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA).
The RBFA formally lodged an appeal with Fifa, which was subsequently granted, according to The Athletic. Both the RBFA and US Soccer were reportedly asked to submit their arguments by 5 am PT, just 12 hours before the scheduled kick-off at Seattle Stadium.
A member of Fifa’s appeals committee, unaffiliated with any federation in Uefa or Concacaf, has been appointed to hear the case, though there is no guarantee a ruling will be made before the match.
The controversy deepened with reports of political intervention. Donald Trump reportedly contacted Fifa president Gianni Infantino to request a review of the matter, with secretary of commerce Howard Lutnick and other White House officials also said to be involved. Mr Trump later praised the decision on Truth Social, writing: “Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!”
Despite the usual unappealable nature of red cards and suspensions, Fifa cited Article 27 FDC on its website, stating: “By operation of Article 27 FDC, the implementation of the automatic match suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one (1) year.”
US Soccer issued a statement accepting the decision, expressing pleasure that Balogun, who is currently eligible to play and expected to start, would be available. The 25-year-old is the team’s top scorer in the World Cup with three goals.
Conversely, the RBFA released a lengthy statement decrying Fifa’s decision, citing various disciplinary codes and competition regulations that typically render red card decisions final.
“In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this Fifa World Cup and at future editions of the tournament,” the statement concluded, “the RBFA is investigating all potential options.”
Belgium coach Rudi Garcia began his pre-match press conference by expressing disbelief. “I didn’t know the fifth of July had turned into April Fool’s Day,” he remarked, adding: “We’re not defending the national team or the federation, we are defending football.”
The situation draws parallels with an incident before the World Cup, where Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo’s three-match suspension was reduced to one match, with the remaining two converted into a one-year probation period.
US coach Mauricio Pochettino defended Fifa’s decision, stating: “For me, there isn’t much debate here, though I do understand Belgium’s perspective and Rudi’s point of view. I understand why people conflate issues – people always do, because there’s often an agenda to mix things up – but in this case, I don’t think it’s right.”
He added: “If anyone was harmed in this whole situation, it was the United States. Can anyone justify the idea that we weren’t punished? I mean, playing 30 or 35 minutes a man down in a World Cup knockout match? It’s not as if we’re benefiting. No, no. There’s no extraordinary gain we’re getting out of all this. I mean, ultimately, we aren’t victims, but we aren’t the villains of this story either.”
