Balogun cleared to play as USA faces Belgium in World Cup knockout
FIFA suspended Balogun's ban; he's cleared for USA-Belgium World Cup round of 16 in Seattle.
Event / Sports
2026 FIFA World Cup
FIFA suspends Folarin Balogun's disciplinary ban, allowing the U.S. men's soccer team's leading scorer to compete in the World Cup round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle. Balogun received a red card for stepping on an opponent's foot in the previous round but was conditionally cleared to play pending a one-year probationary period.
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2026-08-16 to 2026-11-13 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 5 Jul, 21:23 UTC
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What happened
FIFA suspends Folarin Balogun's one-game ban for World Cup round of 16
FIFA's Disciplinary Committee suspended Folarin Balogun's one-game ban on Sunday, allowing the U.S. forward to play in the World Cup round of 16 match against Belgium. Balogun received the red card for stepping on the foot of Tarik Muharemović of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a 2-0 round of 32 victory on Wednesday. The suspension is conditional for a probationary period of one year; any similar infraction during this period will result in the ban being enforced.
U.S. hosts Belgium in World Cup round of 16 match
The United States is hosting Belgium in a World Cup round of 16 match. Folarin Balogun, who leads the American team with three goals, is eligible to play in the match scheduled for Monday or Tuesday (sources vary on exact date). The U.S. is seeking to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002.
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