6 July 2026
FIFA's Balogun U-Turn Angers Belgium and Divides Football
FIFA's decision to lift Folarin Balogun's red-card ban before the USA versus Belgium last-16 tie has triggered fury in Belgium and a fierce debate about the governing body's independence.
The controversy surrounding USA striker Folarin Balogun's red-card suspension deepened on Sunday, with The Guardian explaining the full sequence of events behind FIFA's extraordinary decision to reverse his automatic one-match ban.
Balogun was sent off in the round of 32 and was due to miss Tuesday's clash with Belgium. But FIFA suspended his ban for a year, a move swiftly praised by US President Donald Trump on social media. The Belgian Football Association responded with a strongly worded statement, calling the decision a direct contradiction of the competition's own written regulations, and announced it was investigating all legal options.
The row has raised serious questions about FIFA's independence and the integrity of its disciplinary process, with the Belgian FA pointing out that the automatic suspension rule was explicitly confirmed to all teams as recently as May 2026.
Sources
