Balogun's Red Card Appeal
Can FIFA Rescind Folarin Balogun's Red Card Before USMNT's World Cup Knockout Match?
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The United States advanced to the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, but striker Folarin Balogun may miss the next match. Balogun, the tournament's top American scorer with 3 goals, was sent off in the 65th minute after a VAR review ruled his challenge on defender Tarik Muharemović constituted "serious foul play." Sporting News reported the U.S. now faces a race against time to get him cleared before facing Belgium on July 6 in Seattle.
The red card left the U.S. playing the final 26 minutes with 10 men. Malik Tillman sealed the result with a free kick in the 82nd minute. Now, U.S. Soccer must decide whether to appeal — and whether that appeal has any real chance of working.
How the Red Card Happened and Why It's Disputed
Referee Raphael Claus did not issue a card when the challenge happened. Only after reviewing footage on the pitchside monitor did he show Balogun a straight red. The call was made under Law 12, which covers "serious foul play" — defined as a challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent. Balogun's studs made contact with the Achilles of Muharemović, who required medical treatment on the pitch.
But analysts pushed back hard. FOX Sports referee expert Mark Clattenburg said, "This is just an accident... it lacks force and intensity to create that red card." Critics argue the slow-motion replay made the challenge look worse than it was in real time. IFAB, the body that writes soccer's rules, warns that slow motion should only be used to confirm facts — not to judge intensity. According to Yahoo Sports, the debate has split fans and experts down the middle.
Can FIFA Actually Overturn a Red Card Mid-Tournament?
FIFA does have a process to review red cards. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee can look at incidents and reduce or extend suspensions. Teams can also appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport's Ad Hoc Division, which operates during major tournaments. That body has a strict 48-hour window to issue a binding decision once an appeal is filed. The U.S. match against Belgium is on July 6, giving the team a narrow but real timeline to seek relief.
However, Sporting News noted that history is not on the U.S.'s side. No straight red card has ever been rescinded mid-tournament in the modern World Cup era. FIFA's Disciplinary Code treats referee decisions as final in almost all cases. The most common grounds for a successful appeal is "mistaken identity" — meaning the wrong player was carded. That does not apply here, since everyone agrees it was Balogun who made the challenge.
A Tournament Flooded With Red Cards in 2026
Balogun's dismissal is part of a broader pattern at this World Cup. The 2026 group stage saw 8 red cards — more than the previous two tournaments combined. FIFA has pushed referees to enforce player safety rules more strictly this year. Earlier in the tournament, Paraguay's Miguel Almiron was sent off under a new rule banning players from covering their mouths during on-field conversations. The standard is high, and officials are calling it that way.
Three different perspectives have emerged in the debate over Balogun's card. Referee supporters argue that studs on an Achilles — with an injury resulting — meets the legal definition of serious foul play, regardless of intent. Analysts counter that soccer is a contact sport and the punishment is too severe for what was essentially an accident. A third group warns that overturning VAR-confirmed decisions would "open the floodgates" for every team to appeal every red card, grinding the tournament to a halt.
Who Replaces Balogun If the Appeal Fails?
If Balogun is suspended for the Belgium match, USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino has two main options up front: Ricardo Pepi and Haji Wright. Pepi started the final group stage game and is seen as the most direct replacement for Balogun's role. Wright offers a bigger physical presence. Neither has matched Balogun's output — he is tied for the most goals ever scored by an American in a single World Cup tournament at 3.
The stakes go beyond the tournament. According to Yahoo Sports, Balogun's transfer value has climbed to around €50 million on the back of his World Cup performances, with Premier League clubs tracking him closely. A suspension that ends his tournament early could blunt that momentum. For now, experts say the probability of him being cleared for Seattle is very low — and Pochettino is almost certainly planning without him.
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