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Folarin Balogun
Credit: Jared C. Tilton/FIFA/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- USMNT star Folarin Balogun’s red card suspension was overturned on July 5, making the striker available to play in the U.S.-Belgium World Cup game on July 6
- The news comes four days after Balogun was served a red card and ejected during a match against Bosnia and Herzegovina
- FIFA's disciplinary committee placed Balogun on a one-year probationary period for any similar future infractions
Folarin Balogun’s red card suspension has been lifted.
The 25-year-old star striker of the U.S. men's national soccer team (USMNT) will be available to play in the World Cup match against Belgium in the Round of 16 on Monday, July 6, FIFA confirmed in a news release on Sunday, July 5.
The World Cup organizer's disciplinary committee overturned the suspension four days after it was served in the 64th minute of the Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday, July 1. Balogun was ejected from the game, leaving the USMNT with just 10 players for the final half-hour, after seemingly inadvertently stepping on the ankle of Bosnia's Tarik Muharemovic.
The team ultimately beat Bosnia 2-0, advancing the U.S. to the Round of 16. It was previously understood that Balogun would be suspended for the U.S.-Belgium match at Seattle Stadium.
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Folarin Balogun playing in the U.S.-Bosnia and Herzegovina World Cup game before his red card on July 1, 2026
In a statement shared with The Athleticon Sunday, FIFA said, “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).”
"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,” the statement continued.
Should Balogun commit “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,” the statement warned.
Multiple FIFA officials previously told The Athletic that after the game, the USMNT cannot appeal the red card or suspension. One official did tell the outlet, however, that all red cards are “automatically referred to FIFA's independent disciplinary committee for assessment.”
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A FIFA spokesperson did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on Sunday, July 5.
The July 1 red card drew backlash from several figures across U.S. sports, including Jason Kelce and his ESPN colleagues Dan Orlovsky and Pat McAfee. Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki and New York Knicks guard Josh Hart also took to social media to rally behind the U.S. star striker in the wake of the controversial call.
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Folarin Balogun playing against Paraguay in the World Cup on June 12, 2026
Credit: Sebastian Frej/Getty
Balogun reacted to the suspension while returning to Instagram after his teammates secured a victory and advancement on Wednesday.
The striker shared a pointed post, with no caption — just a photo of him after the game with his hands on his hips and a skeptical look on his face. In an Instagram Stories post, he posted the same photo along with a second from the game, and wrote, "Purple hearts! The war continues ."
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