FIFA World Cup 2026: USA coach Pochettino welcomes FIFA's decision to lift Balogun suspension ahead of R16 clash against Belgium
Seattle, July 6
United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino has welcomed FIFA's decision to suspend the automatic one-match ban imposed on Folarin Balogun, making him available for the team's FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash against Belgium, according to Reuters.
Speaking ahead of the knockout fixture, Pochettino said the decision reflected fairness and integrity in the sport.
"I think everyone who really looked at the sport and trusts in ethics and integrity should celebrate that decision," Pochettino told reporters, as quoted by Reuters.
The United States coach maintained that his side had already paid the price for what he believed was an incorrect sending-off during the team's previous match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
"We were punished enough against Bosnia and Herzegovina, playing with 10 men for 35 minutes after a decision that was completely unfair," he said, as quoted by Reuters.
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."
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."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Pochettino is right that Balogun's red card was harsh—I saw the incident, it was a genuine attempt to win the ball. But FIFA's move here is questionable. Every other team this World Cup had to serve their suspension, why the exception for co-hosts? Either change the rule for everyone or apply it equally. Consistency matters in sports. 🇮🇳
As an Indian football fan, I find this whole situation amusing. USA already got the advantage of hosting, now they want a star player back for the knockouts too? Belgium should be angry—they prepared for a USA without Balogun, and now the rules are bent at the last minute. FIFA needs to be more transparent about their disciplinary process.
Honestly, I think this is just typical FIFA politics. The big nations always find ways to swing things their way. If this was a smaller nation like India or Bhutan, there's no way they'd get this "probationary suspension" nonsense. Belgium has every right to be astonished. The beautiful game deserves better governance. 🙏
I understand Pochettino's frustration with the red card decision—playing 35 minutes with 10 men is tough. But FIFA's action here is problematic. Article 27 seems like a loophole they're exploiting for the co-host. Either the rule exists for a reason, or it doesn't. You can't pick and choose when to apply it. Balogun is a great player, but rules are rules.
As a neutral fan, this is fascinating. Both sides have points—USA
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.