FIFA World Cup 2026: Thierry Henry reacts to FIFA's decision to clear USA's Balogun for RO16 clash against Belgium
Santa Clara, July 6
Former France striker Thierry Henry said the late decision involving United States forward Folarin Balogun would have affected Belgium's preparations ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash, adding that he did not believe the striker deserved a red card, in a video shared by FOX Sports on X
Earlier, FIFA announced that the implementation of Balogun's automatic one-match suspension had been suspended under Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.
In its statement, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee said, "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."
Reacting to this, Henry, who was speaking in a video shared by FOX Sports on X, said the development would have forced Belgium to rethink its tactical approach at short notice.
"Yeah, that's exactly what it is for Belgium, the breaking news. That must have broken their spirit a tiny bit because you also prepare the game to play a certain way and then suddenly you have to change your preparation of the game," Henry said.
"This is also what it does when you do something like that. Three, four days to take a decision," he added.
Henry reiterated that he did not believe Balogun's challenge warranted a red card.
"Now we need to go back to the point. I do not think it was a red card, and we all said it. We all know that it was not... he didn't do that on purpose," he said in a video shared by FOX Sports on X.
The former Arsenal and Barcelona forward, however, acknowledged that the timing of the decision posed a challenge for Belgium despite agreeing with the eventual outcome.
"But I have to say that if you're Belgium, to prepare the game, it does change everything," Henry said.
"I would not say that it never happened before because it must have happened in the history of the World Cup. I think I've heard that it happened maybe with Garrincha back in the day or something like that," the former French footballer said in a video shared by FOX Sports on X.
"But I'm just saying whatever the rule was or the rule is, I'm just saying yes, I was kind of like okay, it is the right call, but why so late?" he added.
Balogun had been shown a red card in the 64th minute of the United States' 2-0 Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Despite playing with 10 men, the co-hosts secured progression to the last 16, with Balogun having already scored three goals during the tournament.
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) has expressed strong opposition to FIFA's decision to make United States striker Folarin Balogun eligible for Monday's FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash, describing the ruling as surprising and saying it is exploring all possible avenues to protect its interests.
In an official statement issued on Sunday, the RBFA said it was "astonished by FIFA's decision to declare suspended United States player Folarin Balogun eligible to play in the USA-Belgium match" and questioned the legal basis for the ruling.
While acknowledging that FIFA had relied on Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the Belgian federation argued that other regulations clearly mandate an automatic suspension following a red card. The statement said, "Article 66.4 of the same FIFA Disciplinary Code clearly provides that a red card (sending-off) automatically results in a suspension for the team's next match, as has been the case for all previous red cards issued during this FIFA World Cup."
Balogun is now expected to be available when the United States face Belgium in Seattle, with a place in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals at stake.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Thierry Henry is spot on. The timing of this decision is terrible for Belgium. Imagine preparing your tactics for days and then finding out at the last minute that your opponents have their star striker back. FIFA needs to respect the rules consistently and stop making exceptions.
Is it just me or does FIFA always favor the USA? Host country advantage strikes again. If this was some smaller nation like India, you bet they'd enforce the suspension immediately. Justice for Belgium!
As a football fan from India, I feel for Belgium. But honestly, Henry is right - that challenge didn't deserve a red card. The real issue is FIFA's terrible timing. They should have clarified this before the knockout stage started, not on match day. Kal ho na ho, par itna late?
Brilliant point by Henry about how this affects Belgium's preparations. In cricket, this would be a huge controversy. FIFA's disciplinary code seems to have more loopholes than a Swiss cheese. Balogun is lucky, but the rules should apply equally to everyone - whether you play for USA or not.
I'm no fan of Belgium but this is genuinely unfair. FIFA's Article 27 seems to be a get-out-of-jail-free card for star players. If Balogun was truly innocent, why did they wait so long? The decision should have been made within 24 hours, not on the eve of such a big match. 🎯
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