Folarin Balogun has been cleared to play for USA in their FIFA World Cup 2026 round-of-16 encounter with Belgium, after FIFA suspended the automatic one-match ban he received following a red card in USA's group-stage victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Monaco forward had looked set to miss the Seattle Stadium showdown, having been dismissed for a dangerous challenge on Tarik Muharemovic's ankle. Under standard FIFA disciplinary rules, a sending-off in the group stage carries an automatic suspension for the following match.

Article 27 saves Balogun

FIFA's Disciplinary Code, however, contains a lesser-known provision — Article 27 — that allows a ban to be placed on probation for one year, provided the player does not commit another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during that period.

World football's governing body invoked this clause to clear Balogun, meaning the 25-year-old will be available for Mauricio Pochettino's side as they bid to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2002.

The precedent for this ruling is not without controversy. FIFA previously applied Article 27 to lift Cristiano Ronaldo's ban — incurred during the World Cup play-offs — so that Portugal's captain could participate at the start of their group campaign. That same wave of leniency subsequently benefited Ecuador's Moises Caicedo and Nicolas Otamendi of Argentina, who had been sent off in the same match.

Trump lobbies Infantino

Balogun's case attracted a notable intervention from outside football's corridors. US President Donald Trump reportedly contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino directly to press for a review of the ban.

The relationship between Trump and Infantino is well documented — Trump was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize last year, a reflection of the closeness between the two figures. Following FIFA's decision to clear Balogun, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to praise the governing body for