5 min readJul 6, 2026 02:08 PM IST
In only the second instance of a red card being overturned in World Cup history, FIFA has cleared USA striker Folarin Balogun to play in Tuesday’s Round of 16 clash against Belgium. The decision, taken under Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, comes after Balogun was sent off in the Round of 32 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina.
According to multiple reports, the overturn followed several calls from US President Donald Trump to FIFA president Gianni Infantino. The move has drawn sharp criticism from the football world, with former England striker Wayne Rooney calling it “an absolute disgrace.”
“I think it’s an absolute disgrace, I really do. I know it’s UEFA, but I got a three-game ban before Euro 2012. I was due to miss the three group games and I was told if I went over to Switzerland and did a training session with a bunch of kids, my third game would be taken off. I agreed to do it because I didn’t want a three-game ban, but I thought that was wrong. For this to be suspended, they either take the red card away, which is probably the right decision, and then he can play. But to suspend it for a year? I think it’s an absolute disgrace. Infantino should be ashamed of this,” Rooney told BBC Sport.
Balogun, the USA’s leading scorer at this World Cup with three goals, was shown a red card by referee Raphael Claus in the 64th minute of the 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina – the country’s first knockout victory since the 2002 World Cup. The striker was dismissed for stepping on the ankle of Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemović. On Sunday, FIFA overturned the decision, citing Article 27. The governing body stated that the suspension would be deferred for a probationary period of one year, meaning Balogun is available for the Seattle clash against Belgium.
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Rooney also questioned the broader implications of the decision. “The sportsmanship of this game is in question here. If I’m USA’s opponent, I’d be absolutely fuming. It’s wrong in every way. If you’re an England player tonight or a Mexican player, and you get a red card, do you expect to be playing the next game? Where does it stop?” he added.
Former England international Gary Neville was equally critical, calling for a proper review process. “It absolutely stinks, let’s be really clear. But what I would say, the thing that stinks the most is there should be a review process in place because I actually didn’t think it was a red card. I think there should be a process which allows it to be overturned, but if there’s no process for it to be overturned and then somehow FIFA, from nowhere, have decided to basically let a player play – and the rules are the same for everybody. I would be absolutely raging if I was Belgium and every other team in the tournament that’s had a player sent off that might think it’s a little bit hard done by. Do you know something? Are we surprised? No, not with this lot,” Neville told ITV.
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The decision marks only the second time in World Cup history that a red card has been overturned, out of 189 red cards issued in the tournament. The first was Brazil’s Garrincha in 1962, who was sent off in the semi-final against Chile but allowed to play in the final victory over Czechoslovakia.
Former France international Thierry Henry also questioned the timing of the decision. “Three or four days to make a decision. We need to go back to the point. I do not think it was a red card and we all said it. We all know that it was not and he didn’t do that on purpose. But I have to say that if you’re Belgium preparing for the game, it does change everything. I would not say that it never happened before because it must have happened in the history of the World Cup. I think I’ve heard that it happened with Garrincha back in the days. It’s the right call but why so late? Why didn’t it happen straight away?” Henry told FOX Sports.
FIFA’s full statement read: “In line with article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year. If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”
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