Folarin Balogun is available to play for the United States in their World Cup last-16 tie against Belgium after his one-game ban was suspended by Fifa following an intervention by US President Donald Trump.
The 25-year-old star striker, who is the US’s top scorer at the tournament with three goals, was shown a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic as the co-hosts won their last-32 tie 2-0.
Fifa said the automatic one-match ban would be suspended for a year. No reasoning behind the move was provided, beyond citing a rule which allows punishments to be suspended.
Trump thanked Fifa for “reversing a great injustice” in a post on Truth Social.
The BBC’s US media partner CBS News confirmed that Balogun’s reinstatement came after Trump called Fifa president Gianni Infantino on Thursday.
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it is “astonished” by Fifa’s decision and is “investigating all potential options” in response.
“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,” world governing body Fifa said in a statement.
“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.”
CBS sources said Trump spoke to Infantino directly in a short conversation.
They spoke about the suspension, sources familiar with the call told CBS News.
Infantino told the president that Fifa’s disciplinary committee would look into it, according to one of the sources.
Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House’s World Cup task force, also spoke to Infantino about the situation and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick was also in communication with FIFA.
Spokespeople for the White House, Lutnick and Giuliani did not immediately respond to CBS News’ request for comment.’
Later Trump, a friend of Infantino, wrote on social media: “Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
