The United States has been handed a timely boost ahead of its FIFA World Cup Round of 16 showdown with Belgium after FIFA confirmed that forward Folarin Balogun is eligible to play despite his recent dismissal.
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee has issued Balogun a suspended one-match ban, allowing the striker to feature in the knockout clash while keeping the red card on his disciplinary record.
The decision was made under Article 27 of FIFA’s disciplinary regulations, with the governing body choosing to postpone the suspension rather than enforce it immediately.
US Soccer revealed that it did not file an appeal because it had been advised there were no valid grounds to challenge the original decision. However, FIFA later exercised its discretionary powers to suspend the ban.
The move is similar to an earlier decision involving Cristiano Ronaldo, who was also given a suspended one-match ban before the tournament, enabling him to take part in Portugal’s opening World Cup fixtures.
In a statement, US Soccer welcomed the ruling.
“We accept the decision of the Disciplinary Committee and are pleased that Folarin Balogun is eligible to compete tomorrow.
“Our full attention is focused on the Round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle, and we look forward to the continued support of our amazing fans.”
Balogun’s availability comes as a significant boost for the United States as they prepare for a high-stakes encounter with Belgium, with a place in the World Cup quarter-finals on the line.
