{"id":496,"date":"2026-07-05T22:56:53","date_gmt":"2026-07-05T17:56:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=496"},"modified":"2026-07-05T22:56:53","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T17:56:53","slug":"folarin-balogun-now-eligible-for-usmnts-world-cup-match-vs-belgium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=496","title":{"rendered":"Folarin Balogun now eligible for USMNT&#8217;s World Cup match vs. Belgium"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.axios.com\/CzvE7T9GRubQDBb3jwpbimvavE4=\/0x293:3488x2255\/1366x768\/2026\/07\/05\/1783271930708.jpeg\" \/><\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p>U.S. star striker Folarin Balogun can play against Belgium in Monday&#8217;s World Cup match after FIFA suspended his <a class=\"gtmContentClick\" data-vars-link-text=\"one-game ban\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2026\/07\/02\/us-bosnia-herzegovina-world-cup-balogun\" data-vars-content-id=\"d984f981-ba6d-41eb-aa29-7788586b4241\" data-vars-headline=\"FIFA clears Balogun for USMNT's Belgium match\" data-vars-event-category=\"story\" data-vars-sub-category=\"story\" data-vars-item=\"in_content_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2026\/07\/02\/us-bosnia-herzegovina-world-cup-balogun\" target=\"_self\">one-game ban<\/a>, according to multiple media outlets.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why it matters: <\/strong>Win Monday, and the <a class=\"gtmContentClick\" data-vars-link-text=\"U.S.\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2026\/06\/09\/usmnt-world-cup-pulisic-balogun-pepi\" data-vars-content-id=\"d984f981-ba6d-41eb-aa29-7788586b4241\" data-vars-headline=\"FIFA clears Balogun for USMNT's Belgium match\" data-vars-event-category=\"story\" data-vars-sub-category=\"story\" data-vars-item=\"in_content_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2026\/06\/09\/usmnt-world-cup-pulisic-balogun-pepi\" target=\"_self\">U.S.<\/a> reaches the <a class=\"gtmContentClick\" data-vars-link-text=\"World Cup\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/local\/denver\/2026\/06\/08\/how-to-watch-world-cup\" data-vars-content-id=\"d984f981-ba6d-41eb-aa29-7788586b4241\" data-vars-headline=\"FIFA clears Balogun for USMNT's Belgium match\" data-vars-event-category=\"story\" data-vars-sub-category=\"story\" data-vars-item=\"in_content_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/local\/denver\/2026\/06\/08\/how-to-watch-world-cup\" target=\"_self\">World Cup<\/a> quarterfinals for the first time since 2002. Balogun, the breakout scorer of the Americans&#8217; best tournament run in a generation, had been set to miss the make-or-break match before FIFA reversed course.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p><strong>Driving the news: <\/strong>The Athletic, owned by The New York Times, first <a class=\"gtmContentClick\" data-vars-link-text=\"reported\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7423410\/2026\/07\/05\/usmnt-folarin-balogun-red-card-available\/\" data-vars-content-id=\"d984f981-ba6d-41eb-aa29-7788586b4241\" data-vars-headline=\"FIFA clears Balogun for USMNT's Belgium match\" data-vars-event-category=\"story\" data-vars-sub-category=\"story\" data-vars-item=\"in_content_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7423410\/2026\/07\/05\/usmnt-folarin-balogun-red-card-available\/\" target=\"_blank\">reported<\/a> the reprieve.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>FIFA and U.S. Soccer didn&#8217;t immediately respond to Axios&#8217; requests for comment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Catch up quick: <\/strong>The U.S. won its group with eight goals and six points, its best ever group-stage performance, beating <a class=\"gtmContentClick\" data-vars-link-text=\"Paraguay\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2026\/06\/13\/us-paraguay-world-cup\" data-vars-content-id=\"d984f981-ba6d-41eb-aa29-7788586b4241\" data-vars-headline=\"FIFA clears Balogun for USMNT's Belgium match\" data-vars-event-category=\"story\" data-vars-sub-category=\"story\" data-vars-item=\"in_content_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2026\/06\/13\/us-paraguay-world-cup\" target=\"_self\">Paraguay<\/a> and Australia before coming up short to Turkey.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Balogun was sent off against Bosnia after his cleat scraped down a defender&#8217;s leg to his ankle while chasing a loose ball. The controversial dismissal came after a video review and triggered an automatic one-game suspension.<\/li>\n<li>The call drew criticism at home. Secretary of State Marco Rubio <a class=\"gtmContentClick\" data-vars-link-text=\"said\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/x.com\/FoxNews\/status\/2072774629484028327?s=20\" data-vars-content-id=\"d984f981-ba6d-41eb-aa29-7788586b4241\" data-vars-headline=\"FIFA clears Balogun for USMNT's Belgium match\" data-vars-event-category=\"story\" data-vars-sub-category=\"story\" data-vars-item=\"in_content_link\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/FoxNews\/status\/2072774629484028327?s=20\" target=\"_blank\">said<\/a> the team was treated unfairly and urged FIFA to add an appeals process, and fans pressed FIFA to reverse its decision.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>What they&#8217;re saying: <\/strong>President Trump thanked FIFA for its reversal in a  <a class=\"gtmContentClick\" data-vars-link-text=\"Truth Social\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/116868490571213527\" data-vars-content-id=\"d984f981-ba6d-41eb-aa29-7788586b4241\" data-vars-headline=\"FIFA clears Balogun for USMNT's Belgium match\" data-vars-event-category=\"story\" data-vars-sub-category=\"story\" data-vars-item=\"in_content_link\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/116868490571213527\" target=\"_blank\">Truth Social<\/a> post.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>&#8220;Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!&#8221; he wrote. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-ad-status=\"AD\" data-ad-type=\"midStoryAd\"\/><\/p>\n<p><strong>By the numbers:<\/strong> Balogun&#8217;s three goals lead the U.S. and tied Landon Donovan for the second-most by an American at a single World Cup. He&#8217;s scored or assisted in every game he&#8217;s played.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Flashback: <\/strong>The U.S. has reached a World Cup quarterfinal just once in the modern era, when it lost to Germany in 2002.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The only time the nation has seen more success was in 1930, when the team took third, still its best-ever finish.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>What&#8217;s next: <\/strong>The U.S. faces Belgium on Monday at 8pm ET in Seattle. <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The winner will face Spain or Portugal in the quarterfinals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Editor&#8217;s note: This story has been updated with comments by President Trump. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>U.S. star striker Folarin Balogun can play against Belgium in Monday&#8217;s World Cup match after FIFA suspended his one-game ban, according to multiple media outlets. Why it matters: Win Monday, and the U.S. reaches the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2002. Balogun, the breakout scorer of the Americans&#8217; best tournament run in&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":497,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/images.axios.com\/CzvE7T9GRubQDBb3jwpbimvavE4=\/0x293:3488x2255\/1366x768\/2026\/07\/05\/1783271930708.jpeg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-political-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/496","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=496"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/496\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/497"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=496"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=496"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=496"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}