Belgium Cry Foul as FIFA Clears Folarin Balogun for USA’s World Cup Round of 16 Clash
Belgium have strongly criticized FIFA’s decision to make USA striker Folarin Balogun eligible for Monday’s FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash, insisting the ruling contradicts the tournament’s disciplinary regulations.
In an official statement, the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was “astonished” by FIFA’s decision to suspend the enforcement of Balogun’s one-match ban following his red card.
The RBFA acknowledged that FIFA relied on Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, which allows the FIFA Disciplinary Committee to suspend the enforcement of a disciplinary sanction.
However, the Belgian federation argued that Article 66.4 of the same code clearly states that a player sent off with a red card must automatically serve a suspension in the team’s next match.
According to Belgium, this automatic suspension has been consistently applied to every red card issued during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The federation further maintained that FIFA’s decision also conflicts with Article 10.5 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations, which states that any player or team official sent off through either a straight red card or a second yellow card is automatically suspended for their team’s subsequent match, with additional sanctions possible if necessary.
The RBFA noted that the rule was reinforced in FIFA World Cup 2026 Circular No. 16, circulated to all participating member associations on May 12, 2026, and has been reiterated during every pre-match coordination meeting and tournament workshop.
“In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all potential options,” the statement concluded.
Balogun is now expected to feature for the United States against Belgium in the Round of 16 on Monday after FIFA suspended the enforcement of his disciplinary sanction, a decision that has sparked controversy ahead of the knockout encounter.
