Folarin Balogun has become the talking point of the World Cup, not for his brilliant performances with the US soccer team, but for his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32. The USMNT’s striker was set to miss the RO16 clash against Belgium after the rather controversial decision. However, FIFA decided to lift his one-match suspension, and this has caused a huge shockwave in the world of soccer, with many criticising the official body’s decision.

This move could be a huge factor for the USMNT in their game against Belgium, as Balogun is their talisman, who has scored three times for them in this World Cup. While many have called out this decision, former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III came out in support of FIFA’s decision.

“FIFA got it right by suspending Folarin Balogun’s Red Card under Article 27,” RG3 fired off on X. “Belgium’s protesting the decision isn’t about the integrity of the game. It’s about getting an advantage over the USA. If it was about the integrity of the game, they would be championing Balogun having his Red card suspended because it was improper use of the VAR system and not a Red card offense.

“Where were the appeals when Cristiano Ronaldo got his 3-game red card ban suspended and reduced to a 1-game ban on a friendly so he could play this entire World Cup? DR Congo and Uzbekistan didn’t protest Cristiano Ronaldo’s eligibility to play. They played Portugal at full strength.

“If Belgium doesn’t want to play now because FIFA made the right call and the USA has Folarin Balogun back in the lineup, then THAT’S WEAK. They don’t deserve to win. Put the ball down and play. Don’t pick up your ball and go home.”

Balogun’s red card came after a VAR intervention. The striker, according to the referee, committed a serious foul play on Tarik Muharemović. USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino pushed back post-game, noting “that was a normal action of football that happened by accident.”

FIFA’s disciplinary committee stepped in with Article 27 of its code, a clause that lets the judicial body suspend the enforcement of a call after a review. In Balogun’s case, they left the red card on his record, but put the one-game ban on a one-year probation, making him eligible to face Belgium while warning that a similar foul would reactivate the suspension.

Belgium’s federation has been very vocal about the decision and said they are “investigating all potential options” to address this matter further.

The Ronaldo example Robert Griffin III leans on is completely valid. In 2025, he received a three-game ban for elbowing an Ireland defender in a World Cup qualifier. While he served a one-match suspension in Portugal’s last qualifier against Armenia, two games were deferred to a one-year probation.

In Balogun’s case, the noise has been loud as the US are World Cup hosts and on a hot streak right now, set to go into their biggest game.

So the setup going into USA-Belgium is blunt: Balogun is set to feature, while Belgium is looking at every avenue to fight the ruling. All of this has forced a former NFL quarterback to label them as “weak” and to stop trying to win the paperwork and play the game that’s waiting for them in Seattle.