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FIFA allowing Folarin Balogun to play for the United States against Belgium a day before the World Cup knockout match was always going to send the soccer world into hysteria.
The situation was practically set up for a collapse in international football, with a controversial red card, a suspended one-match suspension, President Donald Trump getting involved and the United States getting their top scorer back just in time.
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But even though the reactions have been strong, the central claim of some critics – that FIFA has just invented a whole new loophole for the Americans – is not entirely accurate.
USA’s Folarin Balogun celebrates his first goal during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara, California. (Phil Noble/Reuters via Imagn Images)
Balogun was initially expected to miss Monday’s round of 16 after receiving a red card in the Americans’ win over Bosnia-Herzegovina. The card came after a VAR review determined Balogun had stepped on the ankle of Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic.
The call was controversial from the start. US coach Mauricio Pochettino said it was unfair and midfielder Weston McKennie questioned the decision after the match.
“Obviously the referee made a decision that he made, but I think it’s debatable,” McKennie said. “I think there have been a lot of other actions like this throughout the tournament on other players where no cards were given. It’s disappointing.”
Balogun later said he thought a yellow card “would have been fair”.
Brazilian referee Raphael Claus shows a red card to American Folarin Balogun, right, during FIFA World Cup 32 between the United States and Bosnia in Santa Clara, California, near San Francisco, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortés)
Yet under FIFA rules, a red card usually triggers an automatic one-match suspension. This is why Balogun should not have been available against Belgium.
Then FIFA intervened.
TRUMP CALLED FIFA PRESIDENT TO REVIEW FOLARIN BALOGUN’S RED CARD BEFORE USA-BELGIUM MATCH, SOURCE SAYS
The governing body suspended the application of Balogun’s automatic suspension for a one-year probationary period, meaning he is eligible to play on Monday night. If Balogun receives another red card during this probationary period, the suspended sanction may be applied along with any additional sanctions.
Europe, of course, handled this decision with great composure and perspective.
I’m kidding.
The Belgian federation said it was “surprised”. UEFA said FIFA had “crossed a red line”. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter wrote: “Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overruled by rules, evidence and independent bodies. »
That last part looks cool. It also leaves out the awkward detail that FIFA relied on a real rule in its disciplinary code.
Former FIFA President Joseph “Sepp” Blatter speaks about the 2010 South Africa World Cup and the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Brazil, during a press conference at the Geneva Press Club, Geneva, Switzerland. (AP Photo/Keystone/Salvatore Di Nolfi)
As OutKick previously reported, FIFA cited Article 27, which allows a judicial body to “totally or partially suspend the application of a disciplinary measure.” In other words, FIFA has not necessarily erased the red card. It has just suspended the application of the automatic ban.
This is where the “unprecedented” argument starts to break down. Because FIFA recently used the same basic mechanism for a much bigger name: Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo received a red card against Ireland in a 2025 World Cup qualifier, which initially put him in danger of missing World Cup matches for Portugal. Instead, FIFA used Article 27 to suspend part of its sanction. Ronaldo served one match in a pre-tournament match, while the remainder of the suspension was delayed as part of a probationary period.
So if the argument is that FIFA has never used this disciplinary flexibility to help a star player avoid missing a major World Cup match, that is simply false.
Of course, the Balogun case is not identical to that of Ronaldo. Ronaldo’s red card came during qualifying, and Balogun’s came during the World Cup itself.
But “different” and “unprecedented” are not the same thing.
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after the first half during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group K match between Portugal and Uzbekistan at Houston Stadium in Houston, Texas on June 23, 2026. (Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images)
Ronaldo is the most obvious comparison to Balogun, but FIFA’s suspension rules are not as rigid as the outrage suggests. Ecuador’s Moises Caicedo and Argentina’s Nicolas Otamendi also avoided sanctions while waiting for the World Cup.
Although these cases are not the same as Balogun’s Article 27 situation, they nevertheless show that FIFA’s disciplinary system is not set up for the sole benefit of the United States.
There is also an older history in the World Cup where a red card does not automatically result in a player being absent for the next match. At the 1962 World Cup, Brazilian star Garrincha was sent off in the semi-final against Chile. At that time, red cards did not automatically trigger suspensions for the next match as is the case today. A disciplinary commission reviewed the case and released him with a warning, allowing him to play in the final.
Brazil won.
Again, this does not make the Garrincha case the same as that of Balogun. Soccer’s disciplinary rules have changed dramatically since 1962. But it weakens the idea that a player being sent off and still available for the next World Cup match is part of an unprecedented American conspiracy.
The real issue here is not whether FIFA had a rule. This is what happened. The real problem is the optics.
Trump reportedly called FIFA President Gianni Infantino after the match and urged FIFA to review the red card. He then thanked FIFA for “doing what was right and overturning a great injustice!”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino shakes hands with US President Donald Trump as he receives the FIFA Peace Prize during the official draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Hector Vivas – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
This was always going to blow the minds of European football fans. It is one thing for FIFA to apply a disciplinary provision. It’s another thing to get involved for the American president.
The optics are messy. Nobody denies it. But disorderly does not mean illegal or unprecedented.
Even England coach Thomas Tuchel, who questioned where this process could lead, admitted that Balogun’s initial decision was not a red card.
“I think first of all we have to be very clear that this is not a red card. [for Balogun]” said Tuchel.
This is the part that gets buried under all this outrage. Many people seem to agree that the initial call was harsh. The United States has already played the last 30 minutes against Bosnia-Herzegovina with 10 men thanks to this. Pochettino said the Americans had been “punished enough” after what he called a “completely unfair” decision.
Today, Balogun is back in Belgium and Europe is furious. Which is perhaps understandable, but it’s the breaks.
Folarin Balogun of the United States celebrates his team’s third goal during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group D match against Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium on June 12, 2026. (John Dorton/USSF/Getty Images)
FIFA did not invent Article 27 for the United States. This did not give rise to the idea of disciplinary sanctions being suspended overnight. And he certainly did not wait for Balogun’s red card to discover that his judicial body has discretion in disciplinary matters.
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The Americans were extremely lucky. No arguments there. Balogun is the team’s top scorer in the tournament, and losing him for a knockout match would have been a big blow.
But if Europe wants to be crazy, it must at least be precisely so.
