The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) has threatened a prolonged legal battle over Folarin Balogun's overturned red card, which allows the United States striker to play in the World Cup last-16. In a statement released Monday afternoon, the RBFA accused FIFA of procedural violations and a lack of transparency.
RBFA Statement Details
The RBFA's statement read: "Following its previous statement, the RBFA wishes to publicly explain the events of the past few hours. After learning through media reports of FIFA’s decision to lift the automatic suspension of player Balogun, the RBFA sent a letter to FIFA requesting a copy of the decision, an explanation of the process that had been followed, and setting out its position regarding the applicable regulations."
The statement continued: "As its only response, FIFA sent a letter to the RBFA stating that it considered this correspondence to constitute an appeal, that a judge had been appointed, and that the RBFA had only a few hours to complete that appeal. No information whatsoever was provided by FIFA."
Allegations of Procedural Violations
The RBFA argued that FIFA's own regulations require the reasoned decision to be communicated before an appeal can be admissible. "While the RBFA was merely seeking legitimate explanations, FIFA itself created an appeal and immediately ensured that it would be declared inadmissible," the statement added.
Furthermore, the RBFA claimed that during the match coordination meeting, FIFA deliberately removed the section concerning automatic suspensions from its presentation, a topic that had been included in all previous meetings for the prior four matches. The RBFA said it questioned FIFA about this change but received no response.
No Alternative but to Challenge
The RBFA concluded: "To be clear, as of this moment, the RBFA has still not received any decision or any explanation from FIFA regarding this matter. It therefore has no alternative but to challenge the player's eligibility for the upcoming match. Regardless of the sporting outcome of this match, the RBFA is deeply concerned by the course of events and will continue to fight in the coming hours, days and months in defence of the fundamental principles of ethics, fair competition, and the interests of football as a whole."
Background of the Controversy
Balogun received a red card in the USMNT's Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1, 2026. FIFA initially imposed a one-match ban, but after US President Donald Trump contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review, an independent board ruled to suspend the ban. Trump stated: "All I did was ask for a review. I didn't say, 'You have to do this.' [I] didn't think it was a foul. [It was] two guys running full speed that happened to crash into each other."
FIFA President's Response
Infantino responded to the controversy, emphasizing the independence of FIFA's judicial bodies. He said: "FIFA's judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them. Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected."
Infantino confirmed he received a call from Trump but explained that he informed Trump of the ongoing legal process. He added: "I read the decisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee when they are issued. Sometimes I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree. What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them."
