New YORK: The USA’s leading FIFA World Cup 2026 goalscorer Folarin Balogun will be available for selection in Round of 16 match against Belgium after FIFA suspended his one-game ban. The forward was previously set to serve a one-match suspension after receiving a red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic in the Round of 32 victory.
USA Soccer said the development is a result of FIFA’s implementation of article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, in which FIFA’s judicial bodies utilised their authority to suspend the disciplinary sanction handed down to Balogun following his sending-off in the last match.
In its statement FIFA said the automatic one-match ban would be suspended for a year. “In line with article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year. If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement,” it said in a statement quoted by the US Men’s National Team. IANS
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