World Cup 2026: Balogun Available For Belgium Clash As Red Card Ban Suspended

Folarin Balogun is available to play for the United States in their World Cup last-16 tie against Belgium after his one-game ban was suspended by Fifa, BBC Sport reports.

The 25-year-old striker was shown a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic as the co-hosts won their last-32 tie 2-0.

Fifa said that the automatic one-match ban will be suspended for a 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,” it said in a statement.

“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 without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”

Also Read: Foreign Clubs Chase Folarin Balogun

Balogun explained that he didn’t believe the officials had applied logic or understanding when attempting to make their decision.

“If you’ve played the game, you would understand there are scenarios that you simply can’t avoid… it has to be taken into context when it’s being reviewed,” he said. “I felt it wasn’t on this occasion, but I think, as you all saw, if there’s nowhere else to put your leg, it’s going to be unavoidable.

“I’ve seen many different opinions and takes, but for me personally, I think a yellow card would have been fair, and it’s something that’s happened, so we have to move forward, and I have to accept it.”

Had Balogun not been available, Pochettino would have been looking to Ricardo Pepi or Haji Wright to fill in.

played the deadrubber 3–2 defeat to Türkiye in the group stage and was largely anonymous, but came into the tournament after a hugely impressive, goal-laden season with PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands.