FIFA Reversed Balogun’s Red Card. Now the USMNT Has Its Star for Belgium.

The USMNT walked into Sunday thinking they’d be without their top scorer against Belgium. Now they won’t be.

Folarin Balogun’s one-game suspension from a red card in the Bosnia-Herzegovina match has been overturned by FIFA, according to a report from The Athletic’s Adam Crafton. That means the striker is available for Tuesday’s World Cup Round of 16 matchup — a massive swing for a U.S. team that needs every weapon it can get.

The red card came late in the group stage finale against Bosnia. Balogun caught a defender with a follow-through that officials deemed dangerous, and the initial ruling stuck him with a one-game ban. The U.S. spent the last few days planning around his absence. Now they don’t have to.

How it went down

Crafton called it an “extraordinary development” in his report, and honestly that’s not an exaggeration. Just days ago, FIFA upheld the ban. The U.S. federation appealed, and this time the answer came back different. No explanation was given in the initial reports. The team has not officially confirmed the decision as of Sunday evening, but multiple outlets are running with the news.

Balogun has been the U.S. go-to guy up top. His movement, his finishing, his ability to hold the ball against physical defenders — that’s the kind of stuff that matters in a knockout game against a Belgium side that can punish you for missed chances. Without him, the U.S. was looking at either a makeshift frontline or asking someone like Ricardo Pepi to step into a starting role he wasn’t necessarily ready for in a game this big.

Now they get their first-choice striker back. Big difference.

What it means for Belgium

Belgium’s defense has been solid but not invincible in this tournament. They’ve got veteran center backs who know how to read the game, but Balogun’s pace and directness can create problems if he gets a clean look. The U.S. midfield — with guys like Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie — will look for him early and often. That’s the plan anyway.

The reversal also changes the emotional temperature of the team. Players hate losing a guy to suspension, especially over a play that feels borderline. Now they get to line up with their full squad. That matters in a one-game elimination situation. Morale isn’t everything in soccer, but it’s not nothing either.

This is still a developing situation. More details on the appeal process will come out in the next day or so. For now, the headline is simple: Balogun is available. The U.S. has its striker back.