Belgium appeals after FIFA lifts Balogun's suspension under Trump pressure

The Royal Belgian Football Federation (RBFA) has filed an appeal with FIFA after the global body announced Sunday the lifting of the red card received by American striker Folarin Balogun during the Round of 16 match against Bosnia, clearing the way for him to play in the Round of 16 against Belgium at the 2026 World Cup.

FIFA invoked Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, which authorizes its Disciplinary Commission to “suspend the execution of a disciplinary sanction previously imposed”. This decision was reportedly made at the instigation of Donald Trump, who allegedly contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino directly to obtain the cancellation of the red card, according to the New York Times. Trump publicly celebrated the outcome of this phone call.

The RBFA reacted with an official statement in which it said it was “astounded”, recalling that “Article 66.4 of the same FIFA Disciplinary Code clearly provides that a red card automatically results in a suspension for the team’s next match, as has been the case for all previous red cards issued during this World Cup”.

The federation announced it would examine “all potential options” to “safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and protect the fundamental principles of fair play”. According to The Athletic, a member of FIFA’s appeals commission — representing neither a UEFA nor CONCACAF federation to avoid any conflict of interest — was appointed to examine the case urgently before kick-off.