FIFA overturns Balogun red card, lets him play vs Belgium – Solbakken criticizes
FIFA reversed the red card shown to USA striker Folarin Balogun after his match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, clearing him to play in the United States’ last‑16 clash against Belgium. Initially sent off and set to serve a one‑match suspension, Balogun’s suspension was lifted on Sunday, a move FIFA said was based on a VAR review that upheld the red but deemed the sanction unnecessary. Norway head coach Stale Solbakken condemned the decision as a "big mistake," warning that it creates a dangerous precedent: if the USA win, they will always have that controversy hanging over the victory, and future red cards could be overturned by committees, undermining the integrity of the tournament. For Nigerian fans, Balogun’s eligibility is of particular interest because the striker, though representing the United States, is of Nigerian descent and often followed by the diaspora. The incident marks the first time since 1962 that FIFA has allowed a player to play despite a red‑card suspension. With the match approaching, fans must decide whether to celebrate the player’s availability or question the consistency of FIFA’s disciplinary process.