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The United States men’s national team is coming off a massive victory Wednesday night against Bosnia-Herzegovina, but a big cloud hangs over them for the next match against Belgium.
Indeed, the team will be without star striker Folarin Balogun after receiving a highly controversial red card in the second half of the match.
This of course means a suspension is coming, but the United States received some good news on Friday when FIFA confirmed that the suspension would only be for one match.
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Although it was always unlikely that FIFA would be able to add additional matches to Balogun’s suspension, they have formally decided not to do so, and that is the best possible outcome for the United States in this scenario.
American striker Folarin Balogun’s controversial red card was one of the most notable moments in the team’s victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images))
There is no mechanism by which the United States could appeal this decision, so they could only hope that the suspension would be limited to one game.
Balogun himself made his first comments on the incident on Friday, shortly after FIFA’s decision to uphold the one-match suspension was made public.
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“It’s important for me to say first and foremost that this was absolutely not intentional,” he said Friday. “The referee’s choice was his choice. I don’t think it was the right choice. I think a yellow card would have been fair, because it wasn’t intentional.”
“It’s something that happened; we have to move forward and I have to accept it.”
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)
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Balogun will certainly be missed in Monday’s match against Belgium in Seattle, as he leads the team with three goals in this tournament.
But now, if the Americans manage to surprise the Belgians, they will be relieved to know that he will be back in action in the quarterfinals.
