Folarin Balogun available to play for US team vs. Belgium in stunning World Cup reversal

President Donald Trump thanked FIFA, the governing body of the World Cup, on social media. The move is considered a big boost to the U.S. team’s chances in the Round of 16 game.

Published: July 5, 2026 1:13pm

Updated: July 5, 2026 1:35pm

In a surprising twist, the U.S. men’s World Cup team will include one of their star players, Folarin Balogun, who had been suspended, when they play a match against Belgium on Monday night. 

The red-card suspension was considered highly controversial. It occurred as the result of a moment in the U.S.’s Round of 32 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in which Balogun scraped his boot across the ankle of a Bosnian defender while battling for the ball, according to the New York Post

The play apparently looked much worse in slow motion than in real time.

The move is considered a big boost to the U.S. team’s chances in the Round of 16 game. 

President Donald Trump thanked FIFA, the governing body of the World Cup, on social media, saying, "Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

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