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Folarin Balogun says FIFA's red‑card reversal 'caused a lot of controversy'

sportsJul 14, 2026191,167

United States striker Folarin Balogun said FIFA’s decision to suspend his automatic one-game ban created “a lot of controversy” and produced “outside noise” that made his team-mates nervous at the World Cup. Balogun, 25, had been sent off for serious foul play against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the last 32 and should have served an automatic suspension, but FIFA’s disciplinary committee waived the ban for a year. The waiver emerged after reports that US President Donald Trump and White House officials had lobbied FIFA president Gianni Infantino, and UEFA called the committee’s decision “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable.” Balogun scored three goals at the tournament and was able to start the United States’ last-16 defeat by Belgium, a 4-1 loss two days after the waiver. Balogun said he learned he could play while on the team bus, which prompted “screaming and shouting,” and that he had not been involved in early game preparations because the team had practised without him. FIFA’s disciplinary committee head declined to answer BBC questions about the decision-making process, and Infantino has denied influencing disciplinary outcomes.

Decoding Fox News
@decodingfoxnews.bsky.social

This is a collection of crazy things said on Fox News about the World Cup. A couple of notes. No one mentioned that U.S. player Folarin Balogun is only a U.S. citizen due to birthright citizenship. The U.S. does NOT pay for Europe's healthcare system.

15146d ago
The Athletic
@theathletic.com

USMNT striker Folarin Balogun told CBS that he could see the effect his red card suspension being overturned had on his team. "I could almost see within my teammates a bit of nerves." More, via @paultenorio.bsky.social: nyti.ms/4fwy8k1

16446d ago
3 sources