World Cup team to appeal referee decision after seeing Folarin Balogun red card suspended

FIFA face the prospect of more appeals after controversially suspending Folarin Balogun’s red card meaning he is free to face Belgium in the World Cup quarter-finals.

Balogun was sent off in the USA's 2-0 round-of-32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina for planting his boot into the ankle of Tarik Muharemovic following a VAR review.

The red carried an automatic one-match ban that would have ruled him out of the last-16 tie against Belgium.

However, it was confirmed on Sunday that the red card would be suspended allowing USA’s star player to feature in the game.

Their statement read: "In line with article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, 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."

It came after Donald Trump personally called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to ask him to review the sending-off.

Trump celebrated on Truth Social: "Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!"

The Royal Belgian Football Association said it was "astonished" by the decision, pointing to Article 66.4 of FIFA's own disciplinary code, which states a red card automatically results in a next-match ban.

The RBFA claim they are investigating all potential options.

Belgium coach Rudi Garcia went further: "I didn't know that at the World Cup the 5th of July is actually the first of April. It's April Fools."

France will appeal Michael Olise yellow card after Folarin Balogun decision

It appears FIFA’s decision might have opened Pandora's box with L’Equipe reporting the French Football Federation have asked FIFA to cancel the yellow card shown to Michael Olise during their 1-0 round-of-16 win over Paraguay.

Olise was booked late on after an incident with Paraguay midfielder Matias Galarza. French officials believe the Bayern Munich winger never touched his opponent.

Yellow cards are wiped after the quarter-finals but a player booked twice before that reset still misses the next game.

France face Morocco in the last eight on Thursday. If they progress and Olise picks up another booking, he will miss the semi-final clash.

Fifa needs to investigate why Michael Olise got a yellow for this pic.twitter.com/45itcOzsoV

— WahabStatsHub (@WahabStatsHub) July 5, 2026

England boss Thomas Tuchel issued a strong response to FIFA’s decision after watching Jarell Quansah be sent off in their 3-2 win over Mexico, ruling him out of the quarter-final against Norway.

Thomas Tuchel questioned exactly where FIFA's Balogun call now leaves everyone else.

"I think first of all to be very clear that it is not a red card [for Balogun]. But VAR got involved and obviously three people from VAR checked it and were of the opinion that it was a red card. So the decision is made," Tuchel told reporters at the Azteca Stadium.

"Who overturns this decision then and when? And on what grounds? How far does this go now? This is strange for me... Where does this start and where does this end?"