FIFA clearing Folarin Balogun to play for the United States against Belgium one day before their World Cup knockout match was always going to send the soccer world into hysterics.The situation was practically engineered for an international soccer meltdown, with a controversial red card, a suspended one-match ban, President Donald Trump reportedly getting involved and the United States getting its leading scorer back just in time.CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGEBut while the reaction has been loud, the central claim coming from some critics — that FIFA just invented a brand-new loophole for the Americans — is not quite right.Folarin Balogun of the U.S.celebrates scoring their first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara, California.
(Phil Noble / Reuters via Imagn Images)Balogun was initially expected to miss Monday’s Round of 16 match after being shown a red card in the Americans’ win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.The card came after a VAR review determined Balogun had stepped on the ankle of Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic.The call was controversial from the beginning.
U.S.coach Mauricio Pochettino said it was unjust, and midfielder Weston McKennie questioned the decision after the match."Obviously the referee made a decision that he made, but I think it’s questionable," McKennie said.
"I think there’s been many other plays like that throughout the tournament on other players that a card wasn’t given at all.It’s disappointing."Balogun later said he thought a yellow card "would have been fair."Referee Raphael Claus of Brazil shows a red card to United States' Folarin Balogun, right, during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between the United States and Bosnia in Santa Clara, Calif., near San Francisco, Wednesday, July 1, 2026.
(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)Still, under FIFA rules, a red card generally triggers an automatic one-match suspension.That is why Balogun was expected...