---
title: "FIFA Lifts Balogun's Ban, Clearing Him for the US-Belgium Last-16 Tie"
description: "FIFA has suspended the automatic one-match ban that striker Folarin Balogun received after a red card in the United States' World Cup win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, freeing him to play in the Americans' round-of-16 match against Belgium on Monday."
category: "Sports"
category_url: https://newsparlor.com/category/sports
author: "James Whitmore"
published: 2026-07-05T19:22:00.000Z
updated: 2026-07-05T19:22:00.000Z
canonical: https://newsparlor.com/article/fifa-lifts-balogun-s-ban-clearing-him-for-the-us-belgium-last-16-tie
tags: ["world-cup", "usmnt", "folarin-balogun", "fifa", "belgium"]
---
# FIFA Lifts Balogun's Ban, Clearing Him for the US-Belgium Last-16 Tie

FIFA has suspended the automatic one-match ban that striker Folarin Balogun received after a red card in the United States' World Cup win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, freeing him to play in the Americans' round-of-16 match against Belgium on Monday.

The United States forward Folarin Balogun will be available for his team's World Cup round-of-16 match against Belgium after FIFA suspended the ban he would otherwise have served, [ESPN reported](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49277378/usmnt-folarin-balogun-red-card-suspended-belgium). The decision hands the US a boost ahead of one of its most important matches in years.

## The red card

Balogun was sent off in the second half of the Americans' previous game against Bosnia and Herzegovina, shown a red card after a challenge on defender Tarik Muharemovic. He had earlier put the US ahead, and his team went on to win 2-0 despite finishing with ten players.

Under normal rules, a red card brings an automatic suspension for the following match, which would have ruled Balogun out against Belgium and left the US without its main striker.

## FIFA's decision

Instead, FIFA's disciplinary committee reviewed the case and chose to suspend the ban rather than enforce it, [NBC News reported](https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/soccer/folarin-balogun-usmnt-soccer-fifa-world-cup-belgium-red-card-rcna353041). The reprieve was applied on a probationary basis, meaning the punishment could still be triggered if Balogun were to reoffend within a set period, but for now he is free to play.

The outcome effectively sided with the US camp, which had felt the dismissal was harsh.

## What is at stake

The US, a co-host of this expanded 48-team World Cup, meets Belgium on Monday with a place in the quarterfinals on the line. The Americans have not reached the last eight of a World Cup since 2002, and doing so on home soil, with a first-choice attack intact, would be a significant moment for the program. Balogun's availability restores a central part of that attack for a match the US will regard as its biggest test of the tournament so far.

## Sources

- [USMNT's Folarin Balogun available vs. Belgium after red-card ban suspended](https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/49277378/usmnt-folarin-balogun-red-card-suspended-belgium)
- [Folarin Balogun eligible to play vs. Belgium after FIFA suspends red-card ban](https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/soccer/folarin-balogun-usmnt-soccer-fifa-world-cup-belgium-red-card-rcna353041)