Why has Folarin Balogun World Cup ban been suspended after USA red card?
Folarin Balogun will be available to play for the USA against Belgium on Monday after his one game ban following his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina has been suspended.
Balogun was shown a straight red card in the Round of 32 game with Bosnia for a foul on defender Tarik Muharemovic after Brazilian official Raphael Claus was sent to review the incident on the VAR monitor.
A red card automatically carries a one game ban and it was understood that there was no route for appeal for Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
But on Sunday FIFA released a statement saying that the striker would be able to play and that his ban had been suspended for one year.
In a statement, FIFA said: “The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has imposed the following sanction on United States national-team player Folarin Balogun, who was sent off as a result of a direct red card during the FIFA World Cup 2026™ match between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina played on 1 July 2026 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium:
One-match suspension for breaches of articles 14 and 66 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (FDC).
“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.
“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.”
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Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo avoided a suspension for the start of the World Cup in similar circumstances after FIFA handed the Portugal captain a three-match ban, but with the final two games suspended for “a one-year probation period”.
Balogun scored three goals in the World Cup so far and has started in all but one game for the tournament co-hosts, scoring twice in their opener against Paraguay. The forward was rested against Turkey in the final group-stage game before returning to score against Bosnia in the first-half.
He has registered at least one goal contribution in every World Cup game he has played in so far at this tournament.
The news will come as a boost to Pochettino who did not agree with the sending off in the first place and said after the game with Bosnia: “For me? Never a red card.
“Never an intention to step on the player. It was a normal action in football that happened by accident.
Meanwhile Christian Pulisic added: “It’s just so unfortunate, honestly.
“Looking back at it, it just seems so harsh. I just told him, he’s done so much for us, and now we got his back.”
The USA face Belgium in the Round of 16 game in Seattle on Monday.
