• USA takes on Belgium:It’s the latest version of the biggest game in US soccer history as the USA takes on Belgium in the World Cup’s Round of 16 in Seattle. Kick off is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET
• Balogun’s one-game ban suspended:The FIFA Disciplinary Committee ruled United States men’s national team striker Folarin Balogun will be eligible to play against Belgium today in Seattle. The USA’s top goal-scorer was facing an automatic one-match suspension following a straight red card during the USMNT’s 2-0 Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1
• Trump’s role in the spotlight:The president said Monday that he personally asked FIFA chief Gianni Infantino to review the decision on Balogun’s red card – a remarkable intervention that sparked a torrent of controversy/
• Spain awaits its quarterfinal opponent:Earlier today, Spain beat Portugal to advance to the quarterfinals, where they will play the winner of tonight’s match
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American striker Folarin Balogun scores a goal against Paraguay in the group stage.
The USA was meant to be without Folarin Balogun, who received a straight red card for a risky challenge in the last match against Bosnia and Herzegovina
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has since confirmed that United States men’s national team striker Balogun will be eligible to play against Belgium today in Seattle
So, why is that such a big deal? It’s Balogun’s importance to the team
Without their star striker, the team might have turned to Ricardo Pepi, who combined well with Christian Pulisic before the tournament, or Haji Wright, who scored the US’ only goal in the loss to the Dutch four years ago. Or manager Mauricio Pochettino could have done something no one expected and totally change the team’s formation for the Round of 16
But now, the stage is set for a proper showdown. The Americans proved on Wednesday that they have the mentality to make a run in this tournament. Fighting back from a 2-0 deficit with two goals in the final five minutes and then an extra time penalty winner, made it clear that Belgium is no pushover
If the USA were to beat Belgium, it would make even more history: The USA has never won two World Cup knockout games in one tournament and would see them back into the quarterfinals, something they have only done once in 2002 when the tournament did not have a Round of 32
Belgian players train in Seattle on Sunday.
Hell may hath no fury like a Red Devils squad feeling cheated after the shocking FIFA decision to allow Folarin Balogun to play tonight in Seattle. In fact, the Belgian FA has told US Soccer it “contests the eligibility” of Balogun for this match
Even before the controversy, the United States was going to have its hands full against the No. 9 team in the world
Belgium has not lost a match in over 15 months, accruing a gaudy 11W-0L-6D record in 17 games across all competitions. One of those wins was a 5-2 triumph over the USA this spring in a World Cup tune-up match in Atlanta. In fact, the only time the US men have defeated Belgium was 96 years ago in the inaugural 1930 World Cup
But the Stars and Stripes have some good karma on their side coming into tonight’s match here in Seattle, most notably going unbeaten in all seven matches played at Lumen Field, including the decisive 2-0 victory over Australia in the group stage on June 19, thanks in part to a Balogun-induced own goal and a clean-up header from defender Alex Freeman
It’s just a matter of 90 minutes (and maybe a lil’ extra) before we find out if the angered Devils were able to breach Seattle’s stronghold
The Belgian prime minister’s cat — already a social media sensation — has waded into the global diplomatic spat over FIFA’s decision to suspend a one-game ban on US star striker Folarin Balogun, allowing him to play in tonight’s match against Belgium
Maximus Textoris Pulcher posted a photo of himself to his 233,000 followers on Instagram Monday holding a red card, with the caption: “Red card? I’ll play anyway.”
The photo of Maximus, a grey Scottish Fold rescue cat and the official feline resident of Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s residence in Brussels, comes as controversy over FIFA’s decision builds ahead of the Belgium-USA match at 8pm ET
De Wever has yet to publicly comment on FIFA’s decision, which came after US President Donald Trump personally asked FIFA chief Gianni Infantino to review its decision to give Balogun a red card and one-game ban during Thursday’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina
Belgium’s Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said: “As a former football referee, I have always been committed to upholding the rules and ensuring decisions are fair. This decision clearly raises many questions.”
The European soccer body UEFA said Monday that FIFA’s decision “crossed a red line” and was “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision.”
Referee Raphael Claus shows a red card to Folarin Balogun, right, during the USA’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina last week.
The controversy around the red card given to Folarin Balogun during Team USA’s last match has dominated the headlines all weekend ahead of the game
What it means:A red card signal is one of the referees’ disciplinary actions for a player committing a foul or offense on the field. Fouls can look like trips, kicks or pushes and more
The consequence:It results in a player’s immediate ejection from the match and suspension for the match to follow. The team then has to finish the match with one less player on the field, no substitutions
Fouls don’t always result in a referee doling out a card. Cards are reserved for particularly dangerous or unsportsmanlike play. Common fouls mean a stoppage in play, possession and a free kick for the fouled team
Sometimes referees show a yellow card serves as a caution. A red card is, of course, much more severe
Some of the ways a player can receive a red card include committing a dangerous foul or denying a clear goal scoring opportunity
Red cards can be reviewed by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee to determine if a violent act should result in a longer suspension. Multiple red cards in the same tournament can lead to lengthier suspensions as well as fines for the player
Trump says he asked FIFA to review controversial red card
President Donald Trump said Monday that he personally asked FIFA chief Gianni Infantino to review the decision to give a red card and one-game ban to Team USA star striker Folarin Balogun — a remarkable intervention that sparked a torrent of controversy at the World Cup. FIFA on Sunday announced that Balogun would be eligible to play in the Round of 16 against Belgium Monday night, igniting a political firestorm and questions around the integrity of the tournament
1:39• Source:
CNN
Trump says he asked FIFA to review controversial red card
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The role of President Donald Trump in influencing soccer’s governing body to switch directions on Folarin Balogun’s one-match suspension will now be under scrutiny. A with FIFA President Gianni Infantino this week after Balogun’s red card and asked the FIFA leader to review the call
The news that the 25-year-old forward would no longer serve an automatic one-match suspension following a straight red card during the US’ 2-0 Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina came as a shock. For days, the US and its fans had operated under the assumption that there was no mechanism for the striker to have his suspension erased
Such an incredible reversal on a key decision for a World Cup host country would always invite skepticism. But Trump’s role – especially given his tight relationship with Infantino – will only heighten the scrutiny
Trump’s call to Infantino happened days before the decision to suspend the one-match ban was announced, the
Trump took to Truth Social to applaud FIFA’s decision
Now more questions will be raised about how involved the president was in influencing FIFA’s ruling
Read more about Trump’s involvement in the FIFA decision here
The United States’ Folarin Balogun, center, celebrates his goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina last week.
In a stunning twist ahead of the World Cup Round of 16, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee confirmed that United States men’s national team striker Folarin Balogun will be eligible to play against Belgium today in Seattle
The 25-year-old forward was facing an automatic one-match suspension following a straight red card during the USMNT’s 2-0 Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1
According to the FIFA release, it elected to utilize Article 27 of its code, which allows the judicial body to fully or partially suspend the implementation of an on-pitch disciplinary measure under a probationary period
This means that while the red card remains on Balogun’s record, his mandatory match suspension is put on hold. If he commits another infringement of a similar nature during the period, the suspension will be immediately reinstated alongside any new penalties
The news brings relief to the Americans
“We accept the decision of the Disciplinary Committee and are pleased that Folarin Balogun is eligible to compete tomorrow,” US Soccer said in a statement on Sunday. “Our full attention is focused on the Round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle, and we look forward to the continued support of our amazing fans.”
Balogun has been the focal point of Mauricio Pochettino’s high-pressing attack, establishing himself as the team’s top scorer of the tournament with three goals in four matches. He scored in the first half against Bosnia and Herzegovina before his exit
The World Cup began with the group stage, where matches could end in a draw. Since we’re now in the knockout phase, that is no longer a possibility
If teams are level at the end of 90 minutes and any stoppage time, then they will proceed to play 30 minutes of extra time, divided into two 15-minute halves. If neither team prevails, the match goes to penalties
Each team gets an initial five shots from 12 yards. If that doesn’t decide the match, then we enter sudden death. The match ends when one team scores and the other misses
That’s exactly what happened in the Round of 32 when Paraguay pulled off the greatest shock of the tournament by beating Germany 4-3 on penalties
The FIFA World Cup Trophy is displayed at the tournament draw in Washington, DC, in December.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is in full swing across the United States, Mexico and Canada, with the win-or-go-home Round of 32 underway
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US striker Folarin Balogun, left, arrives for the match against Belgium.
In a day filled with crisscrossing statements, FIFA’s disciplinary committee has finally weighed in on their controversial ruling regarding the unprecedented decision to suspend the one-match ban for American striker Folarin Balogun
The suspension would typically have resulted from the red card issued to Balogun in the USA’s match against Bosnia & Herzegovina at the World Cup
The statement says that the disciplinary committee found Balogun was indeed guilty of committing the serious foul that prompted the red card, but the committee made the unusual decision to suspend implementing disciplinary action for a one-year probationary period, meaning the striker can participate in the remainder of the World Cup, including the USMNT’s Round of 16 clash with Belgium in Seattle, as long as he isn’t guilty of further misconduct “of a similar nature and gravity.”
US Soccer announced shortly before game time that Balogun would return to the team’s starting 11
Without providing specifics to explain the decision, the chairperson of the disciplinary committee said in their statement that the “suspension of the implementation was decided considering all of the specific circumstances surrounding the incident and evidence available.”
The lack of clarity provided in the disciplinary committee’s statement is sure to prove insufficient to critics who feel the American team is receiving preferential treatment from FIFA
The chairperson stressed that the committe has “the discretion to suspend the implementation of any disciplinary measures so long as they do not relate to match manipulation—which, of course, did not occur here.”
Additionally, the committee’s statement revealed that Balogun and the US Soccer Federation have jointly been fined $40,000 for Balogun’s red-card foul as well as a violation of FIFA’s disciplinary code when Balogun, who has scored three goals so far in the tournament, returned to the field to celebrate the Round of 32 victory with his team despite having previously been sent off
US fans gather in Seattle before the Belgium match.
After more than 24 hours of news around Folarin Balogun’s red card, FIFA’s decision to suspend his ban, President Donald Trump’s involvement and reaction from around the world, it’s finally here: The game
The USA and Belgium will spend 90 minutes (and maybe more!) playing it out on the pitch for a spot in the World Cup quarterfinals. It’s the biggest game in American men’s soccer history – we’re having a lot of those during this tournament – and a massive opportunity for the USA to equal its best-ever Worl Cup performance. It was confirmed about 90 minutes before the game that Balogun will start
For the Belgians, it’s not just an opportunity to make a surprising quarterfinal run – they are now saddled with upholding the integrity of the sport, according to their coach. Heady stuff
The game kicks off at 8 p.m. ET and will air on Fox and Telemundo in the United States
