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During last week’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, United States star striker Folarin Balogun was issued a red card that would seemingly keep him out of Monday’s round of 16 match against Belgium. However, that is no longer the case.
On Sunday, FIFA announced that the punishment for Balogun’s red card had been suspended, allowing him to play in Monday’s match against Belgium. While USMNT fans are undeniably excited, it sounds like United States President Donald Trump is pleased, too.
Balogun Eligible to Play
In a stunning turn of events on Sunday, FIFA announced that it had suspended Balogun’s red card suspension, making him eligible to play against Belgium on Monday.
“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),” FIFA wrote in a statement via The Athletic.
“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.”
Trump Addresses the Move
Shortly after FIFA’s decision was announced, Trump praised FIFA for “doing what was right” by making Balogun eligible, saying that the initial red card was a “great injustice.”
“Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Trump expressed his support for the USMNT before the start of the World Cup, saying that he thinks the United States has a “good chance” of winning the entire tournament.
“Well, I just got to say you’re a fantastic guy, a fantastic coach, and you’re all about your record and your success, and I know how great the players are,” Trump said before the tournament. “I think you’ve got a really good chance of going all the way. I just want to wish you a lot of luck.”
If that’s going to be the case, the United States will obviously need to win on Monday against Belgium.
The post ‘Thank you to FIFA’: Donald Trump breaks his silence on Folarin Balogun decision appeared first on The Comeback: Today’s Top Sports Stories & Reactions.
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