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Folarin Balogun will not be on the pitch when the US Men’s National Team faces Belgium in the World Cup round of 16 on July 6. And there’s absolutely nothing anyone can do about it.
The USMNT forward picked up a straight red card during the team’s 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1, earning an automatic one-match suspension under FIFA Rule 10.5. Unlike domestic leagues, where players can challenge disciplinary decisions through appeals processes, FIFA’s World Cup regulations offer no such mechanism. US Soccer confirmed there is “no mechanism for appeal.”
A VAR-assisted ejection with no recourse
Balogun’s red card came in the 64th minute of the round-of-32 match, after video assistant referee technology escalated a challenge he made on Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic. The initial call was reviewed, upgraded to a straight red, and just like that, one of America’s leading attackers was done for the Belgium game.
Midfielder Weston McKennie didn’t mince words about the situation, calling the inability to challenge the suspension “bogus.”
And the news could actually get worse. FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee retains the option to review the incident further and impose additional match bans beyond the mandatory one-game suspension. So the USMNT isn’t just losing Balogun for Belgium. They could potentially lose him for longer.
For the roughly 49,000 fans expected in Seattle for the Belgium match, and the millions watching at home, the practical result is simple: America’s attack will be weaker without Balogun, who has been one of the team’s most dynamic offensive weapons during the tournament.
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