Balogun breaks silence on overturned World Cup ban: ‘I had no part in it’

United States striker Folarin Balogun has spoken for the first time about the controversy surrounding FIFA’s last-minute decision to lift his automatic suspension ahead of the 2026 World Cup round-of-16 clash against Belgium. The Monaco forward was shown a red card in the group stage, which should have triggered a one-match ban. Yet just hours before kickoff, FIFA overturned the discipline, allowing Balogun to feature against the Red Devils. The move sparked widespread criticism and raised questions about transparency within the governing body. Balogun, however, insists he had zero involvement in the process. “When it was overturned, I knew it would cause controversy. It wasn’t a huge surprise to me personally,” he said. “But as a player, you have to go out there and do your job. I respected the protocol, even if I didn’t know much about it. I accepted the red card, and I accepted when they let me play. I didn’t take any part in that process — it has nothing to do with me.” Despite his return to the lineup, the U.S. struggled to impose themselves against Belgium and were eliminated in the round of 16, ending their run at the home World Cup earlier than hoped. Balogun’s comments come as the debate over FIFA’s handling of disciplinary matters continues to simmer.