A stunning and controversial ruling by FIFA has cleared U.S. men’s national team forward Folarin Balogun to play in the round of 16 despite being shown a red card just one week earlier.
Balogun was ejected during the United States’ round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, a foul that would normally trigger an automatic one-game suspension. Yet FIFA made the unusual decision to wipe away that ban, allowing him to suit up Monday against Belgium in Seattle.
The ruling sent shockwaves through the soccer world, particularly after it came to light that President Donald Trump had spoken directly with FIFA President Gianni Infantino prior to the decision. That revelation has sparked a heated debate about whether political pressure played a role in overturning the standard disciplinary process.
Belgium’s football federation was not going down without a fight, filing a last-minute appeal in an attempt to block Balogun from taking the field. The rare nature of FIFA’s decision and the circumstances surrounding it have placed the governing body squarely at the center of a growing controversy.
