World Cup: Will Folarin Balogun miss USA’s Round of 16 match against Belgium after red card? Rules explained

Referee Raphael Claus shows a red card to Folarin Balogun of the United States during the World Cup Round of 16 match. (AP photo) The United States booked their place in the last 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, but the celebrations were tempered by a major setback when star striker Folarin Balogun was sent off in the second half.The red card means Mauricio Pochettino’s side will now be without one of their most influential strikers for their knockout clash against Belgium on July 6 – unless a successful appeal overturns the suspension.

Balogun put the United States ahead just before halftime with his third goal of the tournament before his night took a dramatic turn in the 64th minute.The attacker challenged Bosnia’s defender Tarik Muharemović to the ball and inadvertently stepped on the opponent’s ankle. Referee Raphael Claus initially allowed play to continue before reviewing the incident on the pitch monitor. After a VAR review, Claus upgraded the decision to a straight red card.The suspension forced the Americans to play the rest of the match with 10 men, although Malik Tillman later sealed a famous 2-0 victory with a stunning free kick.The goal was Balogun’s third goal of the tournament, equaling Landon Donovan’s tally from the 2010 World Cup and falling just one short of Bert Patenaude’s record of four goals by an American in a single men’s World Cup in 1930.

Will Balogun play against Belgium?

According to FIFA disciplinary regulations, a player shown a straight red card is automatically banned from his team’s next match. As it stands, that means Balogun will miss the United States’ Round of 16 meeting with Belgium.However, there remains a slim possibility that the striker could still play.After the match, the U.S. Soccer Federation can appeal to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee to overturn the suspension. If FIFA decides that the suspension was wrong or requires a review, the automatic one-match ban can be overturned.Should the appeal fail, Balogun will watch from the sidelines as the United States chases just its third World Cup knockout victory.The striker was one of the most outstanding players of the tournament before his dismissal. In addition to scoring, he had another attempt ruled out for offside and repeatedly troubled the Bosnian defense with his movement.Balogun also paid tribute to NBA legend LeBron James by celebrating with the iconic “Silencer” gesture after finding the net. James later acknowledged the celebration on social media.The red card was just the fifth for an American player at the men’s World Cup, adding another dramatic chapter to a busy night that ultimately ended with the Americans reaching the round of 16 despite playing a man for more than 25 minutes.