Belgium’s football federation, the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA), has expressed astonishment at FIFA’s decision to suspend the one-match red card ban on USA striker Folarin Balogun ahead of the World Cup last-16 clash between the host nation and Belgium.

Balogun had been set to miss the match after receiving a straight red card following a video review for stepping on the foot of a Bosnian defender during the round-of-32 match that the US won 2-0. However, FIFA’s suspension of the red card ban sparked uproar, with Belgian officials criticizing the move while US President Donald Trump welcomed it.

The RBFA stated it is "investigating all potential options" to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in football.

USA defender Chris Richards commented on the decision, saying, "I think a lot of us thought it was AI at first. I think we were really excited because we found out through social media; it was cool."

Meanwhile, USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino called the decision fair, stating, "it’s a fair decision because it should have never been a red card," and described the original punishment as "too big" for an unintentional foul.

The controversy unfolded as Morocco advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals with a 3-0 win over Canada, and France set up a tie with Morocco after beating Paraguay.

Ticket prices for the USA-Belgium World Cup last-16 match have reportedly plunged amid the ongoing debate.

Sources