Belgium hits back: RBFA blasts FIFA over Balogun decision ahead of World Cup showdown

The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) has released an explosive official statement condemning FIFA’s decision to overturn US striker Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension just hours before their Round of 16 clash at the 2026 World Cup. The match between the United States and Belgium is scheduled for Monday, July 6, at 5:00 PM local time in Seattle. Balogun was sent off in the group stage, and under standard FIFA rules, that should have meant an automatic one-match ban. But FIFA’s disciplinary committee stepped in, citing Article 27 of its own disciplinary code to temporarily lift the suspension – a move the Belgians call a blatant breach of tournament regulations. In its statement, RBFA pointed to Article 66.4 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, which clearly states that a red card triggers an automatic suspension for the next match. That rule has been applied to every other player sent off during this World Cup. The Belgian federation also highlighted Article 10.5 of the 2026 World Cup regulations, which contains no exception clause for automatic bans following direct or indirect red cards. Adding fuel to the fire, the RBFA noted that FIFA’s own Circular No. 16, distributed to all member associations on May 12, 2026, explicitly reaffirmed the automatic nature of such suspensions. The rule was also repeatedly stressed in pre-match coordination meetings and FIFA workshop presentations. “To protect the legitimate rights of all participating teams and the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport – both at this World Cup and in future tournaments – RBFA is currently examining all possible courses of action,” the statement concluded. Belgium’s strong response signals the possibility of a formal protest or even legal action, turning the spotlight onto FIFA’s handling of disciplinary consistency on the game’s biggest stage.