News Update

FIFA has controversially lifted Folarin Balogun’s one-match World Cup suspension, allowing the U.S. striker to face Belgium in the last 16 after President Donald Trump requested a review.

President Donald Trump intervened on behalf of American star forward Folarin Balogun, whose red-card suspension was lifted in a decision that allows him to play in a World Cup match against Belgium on Monday.

Balogun, the American leader with three goals in the tournament, received a red card for stepping awkwardly on the right ankle of Tarik Muharemović of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a 2-0 round-of-32 win on Wednesday, triggering an automatic one-match suspension.

FIFA announced on Sunday that the suspension had been lifted for the round-of-16 match, an extraordinary move that triggered praise from Trump and outrage from Belgium’s team. It appeared to be the first time since 1962 that a red card during a World Cup had not resulted in a suspension.