The world governing body confirmed on Tuesday that the one‑match ban imposed on United States forward Folarin Balogun would be held in abeyance for a year, clearing the way for him to feature in the round of 16 clash with Belgium.
Balogun’s suspension stemmed from a 64th‑minute dismissal in the U.S. 2‑0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, where his challenge on Tarik Muharemovic earned a straight red card.
FIFA’s disciplinary code, specifically article 27, allows a team to pause the enforcement of a suspension if the sanction is placed on a provisional basis for twelve months, a provision the federation invoked to keep the player available for the upcoming match.
The surprising move was first reported by The Athletic and quickly became a flashpoint, drawing a phone call from former president Donald Trump to FIFA chief Gianni Infantino, after which Trump took to his Truth Social platform to thank the decision.
Reactions from Europe
The Belgian Football Association issued a statement expressing astonishment at the ruling and announced it would explore every legal avenue to contest what it called an unprecedented interference.
UEFA echoed the sentiment, labeling the decision ‘unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable’ and warning that it could undermine the integrity of the tournament.
Several top coaches, including England’s Thomas Tuchel, Norway’s Stale Solbakken and Germany’s Julian Nagelsmann, have publicly criticized the move, calling it a mistake of ‘madness’ and a ‘big error’ that sets a dangerous precedent.
The controversy raises broader questions about the balance between disciplinary authority and sporting fairness, as well as the influence of external political figures on global football governance.