Folarin Balogun will be available for the United States' World Cup match against Belgium on Monday after having his one-game ban suspended by FIFA, the governing body announced Sunday in a rare move.
The striker received a controversial straight red card in the second half of his team's round-of-32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina for a foul on Tarik Muharemovic. Balogun was sent off following a VAR review of the incident.
That typically carries an automatic one-match suspension, but the 25-year-old will now be available for the last-16 contest in Seattle after FIFA's intervention.
"By operation of Article 27 FDC, the implementation of the automatic match suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one (1) year," FIFA said in a statement.
No reasoning was provided for the decision.
Article 27 states that FIFA's judicial body "may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure." Under FIFA rules, the U.S. was not able to directly appeal the red card, according to The Athletic.
President Donald Trump reportedly asked FIFA chief Gianni Infantino to review the red card following the match.
"Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice," Trump said Sunday on Truth Social.
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was "astonished" by FIFA's decision, claiming it's in "direct contradiction" to the governing body's rules surrounding red-card suspensions.
"In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all potential options," the Belgian federation said in a statement.
Belgium coach Rudi Garcia echoed those sentiments Sunday in his pre-match press conference.
"I didn't know that at the World Cup, the 5th of July is actually the first of April - it's April Fools," Garcia told reporters, including Sam Borden of ESPN.
Balogun, who opened the scoring in the Americans' eventual 2-0 win over Bosnia, has three goals at this summer's tournament. He's been one of Mauricio Pochettino's best players at the competition.
"Obviously, for us it gives us a boost," Christian Pulisic told reporters Sunday.
The USMNT squad learned about Balogun's suspension being lifted from social media while on the team bus, according to Dan Sheldon and Adam Crafton of The Athletic.
"We weren't quite sure if it was true or not. I think everyone knows with AI ... It was cool to get confirmation it was true," defender Chris Richards said.
Balogun said earlier in the week that he believed the tackle on Muharemovic only warranted a yellow card.
"If you played the game, you would understand there's scenarios that you simply can't avoid, and it has to be taken into context when it's being reviewed," Balogun told reporters Friday, including Jeff Carlisle of ESPN.
"I felt it wasn't on this occasion, but I think, as you all saw, there's nowhere else to put your leg. It's going to be unavoidable. So yeah, I've seen many different opinions and takes, but for me personally, I think a yellow card would have been fair. It's something that's happened, so we have to move forward, and I have to accept it."
There is precedent for this type of decision from global soccer's oft-criticized governing body.
FIFA suspended the final two games of a three-match ban for Cristiano Ronaldo after the Portugal captain was sent off in his team's penultimate 2026 World Cup qualifier against Ireland for elbowing an opponent. Had Ronaldo been forced to serve the full suspension, he would've missed Portugal's first two games at this summer's competition.
The United States' affair against Belgium on Monday (8 p.m. ET) will be a rematch of a memorable last-16 encounter in 2014 in which the U.S. was eliminated in extra time despite a heroic goalkeeping performance from Tim Howard.
The U.S. is looking to reach the quarterfinals at a men's World Cup for the first time since 2002.
