FIFA clears Balogun to play for USA against Belgium after overturning controversial red card

FIFA has cleared Folarin Balogun to play in the United States’ World Cup round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle on Monday, multiple sources confirmed, with the news first reported by The Athletic. The decision reverses an automatic one-game suspension that had threatened to sideline the USA’s leading scorer at the tournament.

Balogun was shown a red card late in last week’s round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina — the same match in which he scored the game-winning goal. The dismissal was contentious from the outset: Brazilian referee Raphael Claus had not cautioned Balogun on the field, and the red card only came after the video assistant referee directed Claus to review the incident using a slow-motion replay.

That process sits at the heart of FIFA’s decision to intervene. Under the governing body’s own VAR protocols, referees should not be sent to the monitor on the basis of slow-motion footage, as it can distort the perceived severity of a challenge. FIFA determined the correct procedure had not been followed and, despite U.S. Soccer having no formal right of appeal under existing rules, chose to allow Balogun to feature in the Americans’ next game.

The forward has been the standout attacker for the United States at this World Cup, leading the squad with three goals. His availability against Belgium significantly strengthens a USA side that had been preparing to face one of the tournament’s more experienced European nations without its most dangerous forward.

This is a developing story and will be updated as further details emerge.