News, goals, and analysis – only on the official A BOLA app. World Cup World Cup A final point in one of the biggest controversies of the 2026 World Cup. FIFA rejected Belgium’s appeal regarding the availability of Folarin Balogun to play against the Belgians in the early hours of this Tuesday for the round of 16. The American forward had received a direct red card in the previous match against Bosnia (16th round), but FIFA annulled the punishment, with President Infantino admitting to discussions with Donald Trump on the matter. Incredulous with the decision, the Belgian federation filed an appeal, but to no avail. Therefore, Balogun will indeed play, and there is no turning back. “The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) received the decision from FIFA’s Appeals Committee, signed by its member, Mr. Salman Al Ansari, which declares the RBFA’s appeal inadmissible and confirms the previous decision that allows the American player Folarin Balogun to play,” the statement reads, once again criticizing FIFA. “To date, the RBFA has not received any reasoning for this decision, nor has it received the information it has been requesting since the beginning of this process, namely a copy of the decision and the reasoning that declares the player eligible, as well as the referee’s report. This constitutes a violation of FIFA regulations,” it explained, leaving a final note as a warning for the future. “The RBFA informed the United States Football Federation that it contests the player’s eligibility should he be included in the referee’s match report. This leaves all future actions open,” it concluded.
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