FIFA suspends Folarin Balogun's red card suspension following reports of political intervention

US striker Folarin Balogun was cleared to play in the Round of 16 match against Belgium after FIFA suspended his one-match ban. Balogun had received a straight red card for a tackle on Tarik Muharemovic during the United States' match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Multiple reports, including from The Guardian and CBS News, state that US President Donald Trump placed three phone calls to FIFA President Gianni Infantino to advocate for the decision. FIFA's disciplinary committee invoked Article 27 of its disciplinary code, which allows for the suspension of penalties if the case is not related to match-fixing. The red card remains on his record, and Balogun is now on a one-year probationary period; a similar offense during this time will result in the original suspension being served. The Belgian federation and other observers have criticized the move, noting that automatic bans for red cards are usually strictly enforced. Balogun has scored three goals in the tournament so far, and this decision is considered a major boost for the US team's goal to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 2002.