The United States will finally have one of its main figures for the round of 16 match of the 2026 World Cup. FIFA confirmed this Sunday that Folarin Balogun was cleared to face Belgium in Seattle, after suspending the automatic sanction derived from the red card he received in the previous match against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The decision of the governing body of football modifies a scenario that seemed defined by the regulations. The expulsion suffered by the American striker in the round of 32 implied, in principle, suspension for the next match.

However, FIFA reported that it applied Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code ex officio, which allowed the punishment to be suspended for a one-year trial period. In this way, Balogun will be able to join the call for Monday's eliminatory match.

The announcement was officially communicated by FIFA itself, which confirmed the attacker's availability for the match to be played at the Seattle Stadium.

A decision that reopens the disciplinary debate

The action that gave rise to the controversy occurred last Wednesday during the meeting between the United States and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Balogun was sent off after replay showed he inadvertently stepped on the back of an opponent's leg. In accordance with current disciplinary rules, a red card means both immediate departure from the match and automatic suspension for the next match.

The change in criteria generated reactions outside the field of play. President Donald Trump publicly celebrated the resolution through a post on his official Truth account, where he thanked FIFA “for doing the right thing” and maintained that “a great injustice” had been corrected.

Speaking of Balogun…. Could this not be considered intervention by a State?

Days before the decision was announced, the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, had also questioned the expulsion. Referring to the incident, he stated: "They were unfairly given a red card. There should be an appeal process for that," considering that the American team had been harmed.

The determination adopted by FIFA does not represent an isolated event. The Disciplinary Committee had already resorted to similar measures before. The most recent precedent occurred last year, when he reduced a three-match ban imposed on Cristiano Ronaldo and replaced it with a one-match suspension accompanied by a probationary period.

The USMNT's rival, Belgium, did not hold back its opinion about the measure, acknowledging “astonishment” at a decision that “contradicts” FIFA's own guidelines.

“In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both in this FIFA World Cup and in future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is studying all possible options,” the Belgian Federation announced.

With Balogun again available, the United States will face the clash against Belgium with the possibility of having one of its reference forwards in search of a place in the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Cup.

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