The Royal Belgian Football Federation (RBFA) This Sunday, July 5, he expressed his rejection of the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Commission to suspend the execution of the sanction imposed on American forward Folarin Balogun, who was cleared to play in the round of 16 match against Belgium.
In an official statement, the Belgian federation stated that it received the resolution with “astonishment” and announced that it is analyzing “all potential options” to protect the rights of their team and safeguard the principles of fair play established in the competition.
The controversy arose after FIFA ex officio applied article 27 of its Disciplinary Code to suspend, for a trial period of one year, the execution of Balogun’s penalty match after his expulsion against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Belgium questions legal basis
The RBFA maintains that the decision contradicts article 66.4 of the FIFA Disciplinary Codewhich establishes automatic suspension for the next match after a direct red card.
Furthermore, the Belgian federation argued that article 10.5 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Regulations reaffirms this principle and recalled that these provisions were previously communicated to all participating associations through FIFA Circular 16.
“In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both in this World Cup and in future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all potential options,” the body said in its statement.
A case that transcends the party
Belgium’s statement opens a new chapter in one of the most relevant disciplinary controversies of the 2026 World Cup and raises a debate about the scope of the Disciplinary Commission’s powers to suspend the execution of automatic sanctions during the tournament.
The resolution also modifies the preparation of the meeting scheduled for this Monday, at 6:00 p.m. Guatemala timein Seattle, since the United States recovers one of its main offensive references to face the Belgian team.
FIFA’s decision had already provoked reactions in the United States. President Donald Trump publicly celebrated Balogun’s clearance, considering that soccer’s governing body corrected “a great injustice,” while Secretary of State Marco Rubio had also questioned the striker’s expulsion after the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
A few hours before the start of the match, the debate no longer revolves only around Balogun’s presence on the field of play, but also the interpretation and application of the FIFA Disciplinary Code in the middle of the direct elimination phase of the World Cup.