Belgium challenges FIFA decision on Folarin Balogun

The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) has voiced its astonishment following FIFA's decision to allow American striker Folarin Balogun to be eligible for the Round of 16 clash between the United States and Belgium, scheduled for Monday, July 6, despite his red card in the previous match. The Belgian side believes this ruling contradicts current regulations and is now considering every possible avenue for appeal.
In an official statement, the Belgian federation claims that FIFA is relying on Article 27 of the Disciplinary Code, which allows the Disciplinary Committee to suspend the execution of an already imposed sanction.

However, the RBFA points out that Article 66.4 of the same code stipulates that a red card automatically results in a suspension for the following match. They also stress that Article 10.5 of the 2026 World Cup regulations confirms that any player sent off—whether for a direct red card or a second booking—is automatically suspended for the next fixture.

According to the Belgian federation, this rule was reiterated to all participating teams in FIFA circular No. 16, issued on May 12, 2026, as well as during coordination meetings held before each match of the tournament.

Belgium considers appeal options

Believing that this decision undermines the principle of sporting fairness and the rights of the teams involved in the competition, the RBFA has announced that it is examining all the legal and regulatory options at its disposal.

This stance comes just hours before the highly anticipated showdown between the United States and Belgium, fueling a heated controversy over Folarin Balogun's eligibility for this crucial encounter.

Nouya M'toama

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Versatile journalist specializing in sports and political news, with extensive experience across radio, print and digital media platforms.