FIFA rejects Belgium's appeal, Balogun cleared to play for US

FIFA's appeals committee has denied Belgium's attempt to prevent American forward Folarin Balogun from playing in the knockout stage match against the United States. Belgium had challenged Balogun's eligibility, citing a previous red card. However, FIFA ruled that the Belgian Football Association lacked the standing to file an appeal.

FIFA stated in a release that the Belgian Football Association (URBSFA) was not a legitimate party in the proceedings. The decision came just hours before the scheduled match in Seattle. Belgium still has the option to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but the tight timeframe poses a significant challenge.

Sébastien Ledure, a sports law specialist, explained to RTBF that if CAS were to rule against FIFA after the match, the US federation could risk forfeiting the game if they win. Following FIFA's rejection, the RBFA protested, stating they had not received a justification for the decision or requested documents, which they claim violates FIFA's rules.