FIFA has suspended the red card ban for United States striker Folarin Balogun, making him available for Monday’s World Cup last-16 clash against Belgium in Seattle.

The unprecedented move by FIFA, announced on Sunday, sees the ban suspended rather than rescinded. It followed a direct call from US President Donald Trump to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

US coach Mauricio Pochettino welcomed the decision, sayinfg, “I think everyone who really looked at the sport and trusts in ethics and integrity should celebrate that decision. We were punished enough against Bosnia and Herzegovina, playing with 10 men for 35 minutes after a decision that was completely unfair.”

Balogun was sent off during Wednesday’s round of 32 match against Bosnia, after a video review confirmed he had planted his boot into the ankle of Tarik Muharemovic. The 25-year-old’s dismissal left his team playing with ten men for a significant period.

Belgium coach Rudi Garcia had reportedly said the ruling felt `like “April Fool’s Day”. Pochettino acknowledged Garcia’s position although he insisted the decision was good for football.

He added that `while he understood Garcia had to object, integrity and ethics were “global” and “more fair than that is impossible.” Pochettino said he had not been involved in the appeal process and only learned of the ruling shortly before the team’s training session.

The Argentine added that political pressure should not influence sports rulings. “We ‌cannot mix that,” Pochettino said.

Pochettino acknowledged that Balogun’s availability was a boost but stressed that the U.S. team’s strength was in the collective. “The power is in the 26 players,” he said. “Maybe tomorrow my decision is to put Balogun on the bench. ⁠Who knows?”

Balogun has been America’s top scorer in the tournament so far, making up for U.S. talisman Christian Pulisic’s limited game time due to injury. Pochettino said Belgium remained “one of the greatest teams in the world” and among the contenders to win the World Cup. The U.S. lost 5-2 to Belgium in March in a World Cup warm-up game.

U.S. fans see Monday’s game as a boost to the country’s international football reputation and domestically puts the sport on a par with other major professional sports in America. “I think this knockout round against a European country, being at the door of the quarter-finals, would make even more history for a country ‌like this,” Pochettino said.

Before this World Cup, he `said, soccer in the U.S. “was beginning to grow among young people, but now people `are waking up and beginning to feel the sport.” The U.S. and Belgium are playing in one of the country’s biggest soccer ‌cities and in a stadium known for being among the loudest in professional ‌sports.

“We are going to have the support of our fans, the 12th Man,” said Pochettino, referring to the diehard supporters of the Seattle Seahawks.

Momentum is in full gear for Team USA following their win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32.

And what was originally a bittersweet ending in the San Francisco Bay Area due to the red card to striker Folarin Balogun has since changed thanks to FIFA’s announcement that the USMNT star will be able to play in the Round of 16 against Belgium on Monday night.

Balogun’s controversial red card, which came in the 64th minute of the 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, changed the trajectory of the USMNT’s hopes to make a World Cup Final run. After all, Balogun has been the perfect striker for this squad since the start of the tournament, securing his third World Cup goal in the Round of 32.

WATCH THE WORLD CUP FINAL ON FOX ONE

US striker Folarin Balogun’s controversial red card was one of the biggest moments of the team’s win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images))

FIFA MAKES FINAL RULING ON US SOCCER STAR FOLARIN BALOGUN’S CONTROVERSIAL RED CARD SUSPENSION

However, Balogun will now be available for the U.S. in a stunning twist following the uproar over his red card.

The Athletic, which first reported Balogun’s playing status on Sunday, noted that part of FIFA’s disciplinary code is “the judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure.”

“If the person benefiting from a suspended sanction commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked by the judicial body and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement,” the rule added.

FOX Sports also confirmed that Balogun would be able to play. The report noted that the play should not have been flagged to head referee Raphael Claus, who ultimately gave Balogun the red card after a VAR review.

WATCH USA VS BELGIUM

In turn, head coach Mauricio Pochettino will be able to run with his regular starting XI instead of having to figure out what to do about Balogun.

Auston Trusty celebrates with teammates after scoring the United States’ first goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match against Türkiye at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California, on June 25, 2026. (Jared C. Tilton/FIFA via Getty Images)

On the other side, Belgium was 10 minutes plus stoppage time away from a shocker against Senegal in the Round of 32. Senegal owned a 2-0 lead late in the second half, but Belgium was able to force extra time with some clutch goals from Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans.

BELGIUM COMPLETES STUNNING WORLD CUP COMEBACK AGAINST SENEGAL TO SET UP POTENTIAL SHOWDOWN WITH USA

In extra time, just before a penalty shootout appeared to be the only way to solve the deadlock, a foul was committed by Senegal in their own box, and Tielemans was awarded a penalty to decide the match. The veteran didn’t squander the opportunity, and Belgium kept their World Cup alive.

Now, both these squads will meet in Seattle, which was an electric atmosphere for the USMNT’s victory over Australia in the group stage. It’s expected to be even more raucous, as the U.S. aims to do what only one team in its history had done prior – reach the quarterfinals.

Here’s how to watch the game, including start time, TV information and streaming options.

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USMNT fans across the nation brought the patriotism to the team’s World Cup opener. (Photo by Jose Hernandez/Anadolu via Getty Images)

How to watch United States vs Belgium

When: Monday, July 6 at 8 p.m. ET

Where : Seattle Stadium, Seattle, Washington

TV: FOX

Stream: Watch on FOX One and FOX Sports

Back in March, we posed questions around way-too-early All-Star Game roster predictions, asking which Rockie (or, optimistically, Rockies) you thought would represent the club in Philadelphia, whether Hunter Goodman would be a repeat All-Star, and which surprise players from around the league would make or miss the Midsummer Classic.

Over the course of the season, Sam Bradfield made the case for Mickey Moniak, Antonio Senzatela, and Hunter Goodman to be All-Stars, as well.

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The results from the various fan voting phases trickled in this week before the final rosters were announced yesterday. As expected, league-wide fan voting was not kind to the Rockies. As the early balloting results came in, only two Rockies finished in the top 10 at their positions: Goodman (5th among catchers) and Troy Johnston (9th among designated hitters). Even then, they were hundreds of thousands of votes behind the positional leaders.

Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks began discussions over a potential contract extension last month. While reports back then suggested that Bedard was seeking a significant pay raise, recent reports reveal the exact figure he wishes to earn per season.

During an episode of DFO Rundown Insider Edition, NHL Insider Irfaan Gaffar revealed that Bedard is eying a $17 million AAV. According to Gaffar, Bedard is looking to earn the kind of money Kirill Kaprizov earns at the Minnesota Wild.

“Connor Bedard is in for a payday. He saw Bowen Byram get a payday. I think that Connor Bedard is looking at Kirill Kaprizov money… I think that is a situation and that is a number that he’s looking at, and I do strongly believe that he thinks he deserves it. I’m not entirely sure the Chicago Blackhawks as an organization are close to that number when discussing Connor Bedard right now,” Gaffard said.

Bedard had a very impressive 2025-26 season with the Chicago Blackhawks. While Bedard and the Blackhawks were unable to make the playoffs, he featured in 69 games for his side during the regular season. He scored 30 goals and recorded 45 assists, for which he earned 75 points.

Connor Bedard suffered an injury during offseason training

While Bedard’s contract talks with the Chicago Blackhawks have taken center stage, the player suffered a major setback during offseason training. Bedard injured his upper body, which caused him to leave practice early.

On X, Blackhawks Insider Ryan McGregor revealed via X that Bedard left practice after falling awkwardly on his shoulder. McGregor also added that while the severity of Bedard’s injury is unclear, the manner in which he skated off resembled an incident he faced in December.

For those unaware, Bedard suffered an injury to his right shoulder during a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on December 12th, 2025. The injury led to Bedard missing four weeks of action, and he could not take faceoffs until after the Winter Olympics break.

While McGregor’s tweet was enough to create panic among the Blackhawks fanbase, a video of Bedard leaving practice and screaming in pain left fans more worried. As of now, the extent of Bedard’s injury is not known. A team spokesperson told The Athletic there won’t be any updates at least until Monday.