Belgium vow to defend football after FIFA Balogun reversal
FIFA reversed Folarin Balogun's one-match ban on Sunday, clearing the USA striker to face Belgium in Tuesday's World Cup last-16 tie. The Royal Belgian Football Association said it was astonished and pledged to investigate options to defend fair play across world cup games, while coach Rudi Garcia likened the ruling to an April Fools' Day joke.
Key Takeaways
- FIFA suspended Balogun's ban for a one-year probationary period, making him eligible for the USA's knockout clash with Belgium.
- Belgium's federation vowed to investigate all potential options to protect fair play at this World Cup and future tournaments.
- The White House reportedly called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the red card, according to an anonymous source cited by the Associated Press.
- Before Sunday, 12 red cards had been issued at the tournament — only Balogun's suspension was overturned.
- President Donald Trump praised FIFA's decision on social media, while pundit Gary Neville said the move absolutely stinks.
Why did FIFA overturn Folarin Balogun's ban?
Balogun was sent off after scoring the opener in the USA's last-32 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, catching Tarik Muharemovic with his studs in a challenge. FIFA's disciplinary committee handed him a one-match ban that would have ruled him out of Tuesday's last-16 fixture against Belgium.
On Sunday, however, world football's governing body announced it had suspended the sanction for a probationary period of one year. Citing article 27 of its disciplinary code, FIFA said it could fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure. If Balogun commits another similar infringement during that period, the ban would be revoked and enforced.
The striker has scored three goals at this World Cup. USA players learned he was available when social media posts appeared during their bus ride to training at the University of Washington's Husky Soccer Stadium on Sunday morning.
What did Belgium's federation and Rudi Garcia say?
The Belgian FA said it was astonished by FIFA's decision. In a statement, the Royal Belgian Football Association said it was investigating all potential options to safeguard the legitimate rights of participating teams and protect the fundamental principles of fair play in the sport.
Head coach Rudi Garcia did not mince words. "I didn't know that in the offices of FIFA July 5 was the April 1 in Europe," he said. "The Belgian federation does not defend itself, it does not protect the national team. She defends football in general, she defends her integrity, her ethics."
Garcia added that he believed it was the first time in World Cup history that such a decision had been made. When asked about a possible appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport or whether Donald Trump had influenced FIFA's action, he declined to respond.
Did Donald Trump influence FIFA's decision?
According to a person familiar with the call who spoke anonymously to the Associated Press, the White House contacted FIFA to ask president Gianni Infantino to review Balogun's red card. Trump, who received the first FIFA peace prize from Infantino last year, wrote on social media: "Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right and reversing a great injustice!"
A White House social media account reposted Trump's message on X with the words "USA-USA-USA." Sky Sports News said it had contacted FIFA for comment. For broader context on how technology and politics increasingly shape global events, see our Future Tech & AI Wonders coverage.
How does this compare to Cristiano Ronaldo's case?
FIFA's intervention mirrors a move it made last year involving Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo faced a three-game ban for an elbow on Republic of Ireland's Dara O'Shea during a World Cup qualifier and was set to miss the first two games of this tournament. FIFA suspended the ban for the final two matches using the same article 27 provision.
USA boss Mauricio Pochettino defended the decision, saying his side were not the villains. He argued the USA had already been punished by playing 30 or 35 minutes with 10 men in a knockout match. Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville took the opposite view on ITV, saying it absolutely stinks and that rules should apply equally to every team. Read the full reporting from The Guardian.