• FIFA has suspended Folarin Balogun’s automatic one-match ban, allowing the U.S. striker to face Belgium after reports that Donald Trump urged a review of the decision.

• The ruling has drawn criticism from the Royal Belgian Football Association and England coach Thomas Tuchel, who questioned the process and consistency of FIFA’s disciplinary system.

• While U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino welcomed the decision, the controversy has become one of the biggest talking points of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, raising concerns about transparency and fairness in football governance.

FIFA’s controversial decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s automatic one-match suspension has sparked widespread debate across the football world, with coaches, and pundits questioning the governing body’s handling of the case after reports that Donald Trump personally intervened.

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Balogun was shown a straight red card after a VAR review during the United States’ 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32. The dismissal automatically ruled him out of the Americans’ last-16 clash against Belgium under FIFA competition regulations.

However, FIFA announced on Sunday that it had suspended the implementation of the striker’s one-match ban for a one-year probationary period, making him eligible to face Belgium while allowing the red card itself to remain on his disciplinary record.

The governing body cited Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, which gives its judicial bodies discretion to suspend the enforcement of certain disciplinary sanctions.

Reuters reported that President Trump had asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review Balogun’s dismissal during a telephone conversation. 

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The ruling immediately drew criticism from the Royal Belgian Football Association, whose team was due to face the United States.

In a statement, the Belgian federation said it was “astonished” by FIFA’s decision and argued that it appeared to contradict both the FIFA Disciplinary Code and the 2026 FIFA World Cup regulations, which state that a player sent off receives an automatic suspension for the next match. The federation said it was examining “all potential options” in response.

England manager Thomas Tuchel also questioned the process behind the decision. Although he said he did not believe Balogun’s tackle deserved a red card, Tuchel expressed concern about overturning a disciplinary sanction after match officials and VAR had already reached a decision.

Wayne Rooney also criticized the decision saying it’s a disgrace on the part of FIFA.

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On the other hand, United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino welcomed FIFA’s ruling, insisting Balogun had been punished unfairly.

Pochettino argued that previous disciplinary cases had shown FIFA could suspend sanctions in exceptional circumstances and maintained that the striker should never have been sent off in the first place. He also stressed that his team would not rely on one player despite Balogun’s return.

Balogun has been one of the United States’ standout performers at the tournament, scoring three goals before his dismissal against Bosnia and Herzegovina. His availability is considered a major boost as the co-hosts chase a place in the World Cup quarter-finals.