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Belgium will take on the USMNT tomorrow in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup at Seattle Stadium.
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A day before the match, news broke that USMNT striker Folarin Balogun is available to play the match despite receiving a straight red card in the Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina last week.
Normally, players who received a straight red card would miss the next game due to a one-game ban. However, FIFA has suspended Balogun’s one-game ban, and he is available to play the match.
The decision has caused lots of controversy among football fans, and Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia has given his thoughts about the decision.
Garcia’s comments follow the Belgian Football Federation’s statement saying they are ‘astonished’ that Balogun is available to play for the USMNT after initially being suspended.
Rudi Garcia’s on FIFA Suspending Balogun’s Game Ban
During the press conference for the USA vs. Belgium, Garcia was asked for his thoughts on FIFA suspending Folarin Balogun’s one-game ban, which was meant to be served for the match tomorrow.
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Garcia said, “I didn’t know that July 5 was equal to April 1 at FIFA. I think it’s necessary to refer to our statement. A lot of what I feel is there. We’re not defending the national team or the federation; we are defending football, its ethics and history. It’s the first time in World Cup history that such a decision has been taken.”
The Belgium head coach does not agree with Balogun no longer being banned for the game following his red card in the previous match.
A section of the Belgium Football Federation (RBFA) statement reads, “The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) is astonished by FIFA’s decision to declare suspended United States player Folarin Balogun eligible to play in the USA–Belgium match on Monday, 6 July at 5:00 p.m. (Seattle time).
FIFA bases its decision on Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. This provision states that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee may decide to suspend the enforcement of a previously imposed disciplinary sanction.
However, Article 66.4 of the same FIFA Disciplinary Code clearly provides that a red card (sending-off) automatically results in a suspension for the team’s next match, as has been the case for all previous red cards issued during this FIFA World Cup.”
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This story was originally published July 5, 2026 at 1:46 PM.