Some decisions in football feel final.
A red card shown.
An automatic ban triggered.
And a key striker missing the biggest game of his country’s tournament.
There was no mechanism for appeal.
FIFA said so themselves.
And then, in an unprecedented intervention, everything changed.
FIFA make World Cup history by suspending Folarin Balogun’s red card ban
According to The Athletic, FIFA’s disciplinary committee has suspended the one-match ban handed to USA striker Folarin Balogun, meaning he’s available to face Belgium in Monday’s round of sixteen in Seattle.
The red card itself has not been revoked.
But the suspension, described as automatic and unappeallable under the tournament’s own regulations just four days ago, has been frozen entirely.
It is the first time in World Cup history that an outfield player’s red card ban has been suspended in this manner at the tournament.
The political dimension to this story cannot be ignored.
Thus, president Donald Trump posted on Truth Social in the wake of the announcement.
He wrote: “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!”
Neither FIFA nor US Soccer explained the reasoning behind the extraordinary decision.
However, the original incident occurred in the 64th minute of USA’s 2-0 round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
When Balogun, who had opened the scoring in the 45th minute, was shown a red card for a foul.
USA coach Mauricio Pochettino was equally direct.
“For me, never is it a red card. There was never any intention.”
However, the precedent set by Cristiano Ronaldo had provided a theoretical framework.
But applying that same mechanism to a red card already earned during the tournament itself, and already accompanied by an in-game dismissal, had never been done before.
Until now.
Christian Pulisic described Balogun as having “a big smile on his face” after the news was confirmed.
Therefore, USA face Belgium in Seattle on Monday night, knowing their most important attacking player will be on the pitch after all.
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