Belgium protests FIFA's decision on Balogun's red card suspension

Belgium has lodged a strong protest with FIFA over the decision to allow American player Folarin Balogun to participate in the upcoming World Cup knockout match between Belgium and the United States. The Belgian Royal Football Federation (RBFA) expressed "astonishment" at FIFA's ruling, which permits Balogun to play despite a red card.

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The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) is astonished by the decision of FIFA to grant the US player Folarin Balogun the right to play in the USA–Belgium match on Monday, July 6 at 5:00 PM (Seattle time).

The RBFA's statement highlighted a clear contradiction within FIFA's own regulations. They pointed to Article 66.4 of the FIFA Disciplinary Regulations, which stipulates that a red card results in an automatic suspension for the team's next match. This rule, they emphasized, has been consistently applied to all previous red cards in the current World Cup.

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This provision states that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee may decide to suspend the execution of a previously imposed disciplinary sanction. However, Article 66.4 of the same FIFA Disciplinary Regulations clearly provides that a red card (expulsion) results in an automatic suspension for the team's next match, as is the case with all previous red cards issued during this FIFA World Cup.

Furthermore, the RBFA argued that FIFA's decision directly conflicts with Article 10.5 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Regulations. This article explicitly states that a player or team official sent off with a direct or indirect red card will be automatically suspended from their team's subsequent match. The RBFA also noted that this rule was reconfirmed in FIFA World Cup 2026 Circular No. 16 and reiterated in pre-match coordination meetings.

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Independently of the foregoing, the decision directly contradicts the provisions contained in Article 10.5 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations: If a player or team official is sent off as a result of a direct or indirect red card (second caution), they will be automatically suspended from their team's next match.

"To protect the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to uphold the principles of fair play in our sport, both in this FIFA World Cup and in future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is exploring all possible options," the federation stated. The crucial Round of 16 match is scheduled for July 7.

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To protect the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to uphold the principles of fair play in our sport, both in this FIFA World Cup and in future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is exploring all possible options.