FIFA's decision to lift the suspension on United States striker Folarin Balogun has sparked widespread anger within the Belgian Football Association, just hours before the two sides are due to meet in the round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Balogun was sent off during the United States' round-of-32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but FIFA's Disciplinary Committee decided to suspend the execution of the punishment, making the player eligible to feature against Belgium — a decision the Belgian side considers to be in violation of the tournament's regulations.
The Belgian Football Association issued a strongly worded official statement in which it said it was stunned by the decision, noting that FIFA had relied on Article 27 of the Disciplinary Regulations, which grants the Disciplinary Committee the authority to suspend the execution of certain disciplinary sanctions.
However, the Belgian Football Association stressed that Article 66.4 of the same regulations clearly stipulates that red cards automatically result in a suspension for the following match, a rule that had been applied to all previous sending-off cases at the 2026 World Cup.
The statement added that the decision also contradicts Article 10.5 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Tournament Regulations, which states that any player sent off — whether by a direct red card or as a result of receiving two yellow cards — is automatically suspended for the following match, with the possibility of additional sanctions being imposed where necessary.
The Belgian Football Association clarified that this rule had not been a matter of interpretation, but had been officially confirmed in FIFA Circular No. 16, issued on 12 May 2026, and explained to all participating teams during coordination meetings and tournament workshops held before the competition began.
The Belgian Football Association concluded its statement by affirming that it is examining all available legal options in order to protect the principle of equal opportunities and fair play, arguing that the decision could set a controversial precedent in the tournament and affect the integrity of regulations enforcement at future editions of the World Cup.