American soccer voices erupted in celebration after USMNT forward Folarin Balogun was cleared to feature in the World Cup Round of 16, with the decision coming after President Donald Trump allegedly made an appeal to FIFA.
Balogun had been expected to sit out the knockout clash with Belgium following a contentious red card during the United States’ Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
FIFA confirmed on Sunday that it had applied Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, stating that “the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year.”
The ruling immediately lifted the mood around the American camp, with fans and former players hailing the news that Balogun would be available for the high-stakes meeting with Belgium.
“Flo is back LFG!!!!” former USMNT striker Landon Donovan wrote on X, capturing the excitement felt by many supporters.
Clint Dempsey, another former United States international, reacted with a side-eye emoji, while ex-teammate Jimmy Conrad kept his response direct, posting: “FREE FLO BALOGUN.”
American fans and pundits are celebrating the return of Folarin Balogun for the Belgium game
Former USA players Landon Donovan (L) and Alexi Lalas (R) were overjoyed by the decision
It was revealed President Trump called Gianni Infantino so he could ‘review’ the suspension
Fox Sports pundit Alexi Lalas wrote, ‘Great news for USMNT as FIFA suspends Balogun’s 1-gm suspension and he’ll be allowed to play vs Belgium. But it’s now (even more so) U.S. vs. world. Any support, affinity, or benefit of doubt from rest of world just went out the window. Applies to refs too. Bring it on!’
Former athletes in other sports also celebrated the news. Tom Brady quote-tweeted a video of famous American sports moments and wrote, ‘We’re adding a Balogun goal to this list tomorrow.’ San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle was also hyped, posting, ‘Flo is back,’ with multiple American flag emojis.
In the aftermath of the announcement, multiple reports indicated that President Trump made a call to FIFA president Gianni Infantino to ask if Balogun’s suspension could be reviewed.
Following the decision, Trump posted to Truth Social: ‘Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!’
White House sources have confirmed to the Daily Mail that Trump took the extraordinary step of reaching out to Infantino, ahead of FIFA’s staggering decision to suspend the ban.
The President’s intervention would appear to make a mockery of the competition’s integrity and has, unsurprisingly, triggered widespread condemnation.
Further reports in the US claimed Trump, commerce secretary Howard Lutnick and White House task force head Andrew Giuliani put together a crack legal team to challenge the dismissal.
The decision has also sparked anger within the Belgium team and it’s understood they are considering taking legal action and referring the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The White House confirmed to the Daily Mail that Trump reached out to Infantino
Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia said his team was ‘defending football and its ethics’
The Belgian FA said it was ‘astonished’ at the decision and would be investigating all options to ‘protect the principles of fair play’. Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia said: ‘I didn’t know that at the World Cup July 5th is now April 1st – April Fool’s Day. We’re defending football and its ethics.’
Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois admitted the decision came as a ‘surprise’. He added: ‘Had it been done earlier, we’d maybe be able to be more prepared. But as players, nothing changes, we focus to win.’
The Belgian FA also insisted the move contradicted FIFA’s competition rules. The automatic nature of such a suspension was reaffirmed in a FIFA World Cup Circular sent to participating member associations in May.
FIFA declined to comment. Last year FIFA created a FIFA Peace Prize and immediately handed it to Trump, following the President’s failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Outside of the United States, reaction to the news was overwhelmingly negative.
‘I do not think it was a red card, and we all said it. We all know that it was not… he didn’t do that on purpose, we all know that. But I have to say that if you’re Belgium, to prepare the game, it does change everything,’ Thierry Henry said on Fox Sports.
‘I will not say that never happened before, because it must have happened in the history of the World Cup… but whatever the rule is, I’m just saying I was just kind of like “okay, it is the right call, but why so late? Why didn’t it happen straight away?”‘
Meanwhile, Roy Keane (L) and Gary Neville (R) criticized the decision from FIFA
ITV pundit Gary Neville said, ‘It absolutely stinks. Let’s be really clear. But what I would say is the thing that stinks the most is there should be a review process in place.
‘I actually didn’t think it was a red card, and I think there should be a process which allows it to be overturned.
‘But if there’s no process for it to be overturned, and then somehow FIFA from nowhere have just decided to basically let a player play, and the rules [should be] the same for everybody.’
Fellow pundit and former Manchester United teammate Roy Keane shared a similar opinion.
‘It seems unfair because it is unfair,’ the former Ireland captain said. ‘It seems like a bit of a pals’ act, shall we say.’
Former England World Cup star Wayne Rooney said, ‘To suspend it for a year is an absolute disgrace. Infantino should be ashamed’
He added, ‘It’s wrong in every way’
