FIFA’s rare disciplinary reprieve restores Mauricio Pochettino’s leading scorer to the lineup, handing the co-hosts a massive offensive boost.
Folarin Balogun will be available for the United States when they face Belgium in the World Cup last-16, after FIFA put his red-card suspension on hold.
The decision has shifted the mood around the tournament’s biggest game so far for the co-hosts. Balogun was set to miss the knockout tie after his red card in the USA’s 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, but FIFA’s intervention means he is back in contention.
The red card has not been wiped away. Instead, the ban is suspended for what is understood to be a 12-month probation period, so if Balogun is sent off again for a similar offence, the original suspension could still be enforced.
The timing could hardly be more important for Mauricio Pochettino and his team. Balogun has scored three goals in as many starts at this World Cup, and remains the USA’s main attacking threat as they prepare to meet Belgium in Seattle.
Balogun’s red card came after a VAR review against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The forward had earlier scored in the same game, but was later dismissed after contact with defender Tarik Muharemovic. Balogun said afterwards the incident was “totally unintentional” and argued that “a yellow card would have been fair.”
It is a rare ruling, but not without recent precedent.
Cristiano Ronaldo was given a similar reprieve before the tournament after being sent off for Portugal against the Republic of Ireland in World Cup qualifying. Ronaldo had been shown a red card for elbowing Dara O’Shea and was handed a three-match ban. He served one game, but FIFA suspended the remaining two matches for a one-year probation period, clearing him to play at the World Cup.
Ronaldo’s case is the closest parallel to Balogun’s. In both instances, FIFA chose to delay the impact of a ban rather than erase it, making the player available but keeping the threat of suspension alive if there is another incident.
FIFA also made broader disciplinary changes before this World Cup, tweaking the rules so that some suspensions from qualifying would not automatically carry over into the finals. That move cleared the way for players like Argentina’s Nicolás Otamendi, Ecuador’s Moisés Caicedo and Qatar’s Tarek Salman to take part.
Otamendi and Caicedo had been facing bans for incidents in South American qualifying, while Salman’s suspension came from Qatar’s AFC campaign. The rule change meant those bans would not keep them out of the World Cup, as long as their offences were covered by the new regulation.
Balogun’s situation is different, though, because his red card came during the tournament itself. That is what makes this ruling so unusual. The USA had been preparing to face Belgium without their first-choice striker, only for FIFA’s late decision to change the outlook just days before kick-off.
U.S. Soccer welcomed the outcome, saying it accepted the disciplinary committee’s decision and was pleased Balogun was eligible to play. Belgium however, will feel hard done by.
Belgium now have to plan for a USA attack with Balogun back in the mix. Pochettino is spared a major reshuffle up front, and Balogun gets the chance to keep his World Cup run going after it looked like one controversial red card would bring it to a halt.
The decision is bound to raise questions, as red-card bans are usually seen as straightforward. Balogun’s reprieve shows that FIFA can suspend a sanction, but it remains a rare move to see at a World Cup.
