FIFA reverses – Belgium’s football federation and coach Rudi Garcia reacted with displeasure after FIFA reversed Folarin Balogun’s one-game red-card suspension, clearing him to play in the USMNT’s round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle. The federation said it was invest
The news broke less than a day before Belgium was set to face the United States in Seattle. and the reaction was immediate. The Royal Belgian Football Association said it was “astonished” after FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee reversed course on Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension. moving him from suspended for the round of 16 to eligible to play.
In a statement released Sunday, June 5, the Belgian FA said it was “astonished” to learn of FIFA’s decision to reverse Balogun’s one-game suspension tied to the USMNT’s round of 32 match. With the change, Balogun became available for the round of 16 meeting scheduled for Monday in Seattle.
“ In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all potential options,” the federation wrote.
Belgium coach Rudi Garcia did not hide his frustration. Speaking Sunday through FIFA’s interpreting app. Garcia compared the timing to something more suited to April than a World Cup match. saying: “I thought the World Cup was in July. not April. It’s now April Fools.” He added: “We’re not defending the national team or the federation. We’re defending football.”.
Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said learning about Balogun’s updated status came as a “bit of a surprise,” but he stressed the match plan would not be redrawn at the last minute.
“We focus on the game, to win on the pitch, whoever plays. As for the rest. it’s up to the football federation to reply. as they did. ” Courtois said Sunday through FIFA’s interpreting app. “It was a bit of a surprise. Had it been earlier, we would have been able to be a bit more mentally prepared, perhaps. We prepare for everyone. It’s good we still have a training session today. Good we have another day and a half.”.
He continued, “We as a team, we know we have to win. With or without Balogun, we know we have to win the game.”
Garcia echoed that focus in a separate message about his role as the head coach, saying, “I’m a head coach. I will focus on my team and tomorrow’s game.”
Balogun’s original red card came during the USMNT’s 64th-minute clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The incident happened after Balogun came down on the foot of defender Tarik Muharemovic.
The red card initially led to a one-match suspension for the next game, with no appeal process. But on Sunday, FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee suspended that suspension under a probationary framework. In a FIFA statement. the sport’s governing body said the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year.
“If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement,” FIFA said.
The Belgian FA’s statement argued the reversal contradicts FIFA’s own disciplinary and tournament rules. The federation called out Article 66.4 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. saying that “a red card (sending-off) automatically results in a suspension for the team’s next match” and that this has been the case for all previous red cards issued during this FIFA World Cup.
It also said FIFA’s decision was a “direct contradiction” of Article 10.5 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations.
FIFA declined to provide answers when asked for additional details about the reasoning behind the reversal.
Even with the eligibility now clarified. the dispute has already spilled beyond the pitch—into the rules. the timing. and the confidence teams place in what they thought was settled when a red card was shown. The Belgian federation is now weighing its options after concluding that the disciplinary outcome does not match the framework it says should apply.
The United States and Belgium are set for an 8 p.m. ET kickoff on Monday, July 6 at Lumen Field in Seattle.
Folarin Balogun FIFA Disciplinary Committee Belgium vs United States USMNT Rudi Garcia Thibaut Courtois red card suspension reversed Lumen Field Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026 regulations