Red card controversy fuels USMNT’s Round of 16 gamble

In the 68th minute of the United States' 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1, forward Folarin Balogun was shown a red card after stepping on an opponent’s leg while fighting for position. The dismissal initially meant he would miss the next match, a Round of 16 clash with Belgium. Despite playing the remainder of the game a man down, the USMNT held on to claim the 2-0 win. Coach Mauricio Pochettino later described Balogun’s contact as incidental and argued it should not have warranted a sending‑off. That evening, Andrew Giuliani of the presidential task force contacted President Donald Trump about the red card, prompting the president to call FIFA president Gianni Infantino the next day. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick then coordinated with U.S. Soccer’s legal team, which prepared and submitted an appeal to FIFA. On July 5, FIFA rescinded the one‑game ban, placing Balogun on a year‑long probationary period under Article 27 of its disciplinary code. The reversal made him eligible for the upcoming match against Belgium.

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Mauricio Pochettino defended the decision, saying his side had already been “punished enough” by playing 30 minutes without Balogun. President Donald Trump later posted on social media thanking FIFA for “doing what was right.” The Belgium football federation issued a statement saying it was “astonished” by FIFA’s move and announced it would appeal the ruling. FIFA granted the appeal, setting a 5 a.m. PT deadline for submissions and appointing an independent committee member to hear the case.

FIFA chief defends decision after Trump intervenes in Balogun red card row

UEFA condemned FIFA’s reversal, accusing the governing body of undermining its own code of conduct. The European federation highlighted that the standard procedure links a red card to an automatic one‑game suspension. With Balogun cleared to play, the United States entered the knockout stage as slight favorites, and betting odds shifted further in their favour. The earlier win also broke viewership records, drawing over 24 million spectators.