FIFA is set to amend a rule that led to Folarin Balogun's red card suspension being controversially reversed during the 2026 World Cup.
After a FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, on Thursday, Oct. 15, FIFA said that it would undergo a review of the process by which Balogun saw his automatic one-game ban turned into a suspended sentence.
"Following the decision taken by FIFA’s independent Disciplinary Committee to suspend for a probationary period of a year the one-match ban imposed on the USA’s Folarin Balogun following his sending-off against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the FIFA World Cup 2026, it was agreed that a review of FIFA’s disciplinary procedures will be undertaken by FIFA’s Legal Committee and a presentation will also be made
at the next FIFA Council meeting in December 2026," a FIFA news release said.
The review, per multiple reports, would prohibit the suspensions of automatic one-match bans in the future.
The FIFA Council will next meet in Doha, Qatar, on Dec. 16, during which the proposal is expected to be submitted and subsequently approved.
What is the rule set for review?
U.S. men's national team forward Balogun was shown a straight red card in a 2-0 win against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32. As Balogun was preparing to serve an automatic one-game ban in the round of 16 against Belgium, FIFA's Disciplinary Committee surprisingly announced the forward's ban had been reversed.
"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," a FIFA statement read.
Shortly after FIFA's decision was announced, President Donald Trump revealed he pushed FIFA president Gianni Infantino to reverse the suspension. Infantino has maintained that Trump did not influence the decision of the Disciplinary Committee, which operates independently.
Even with Balogun in the lineup, the USMNT still fell 4-1 to Belgium in the World Cup round of 16.
Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code simply states that FIFA's Disciplinary Committee "may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure."
Belgium FA speaks out on rule change
According to the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA), which vocally protested the decision over Balogun's suspension at the time, the proposed rule change was not enough.
"The Balogun case goes far beyond a simple red card. The real issue is how decisions are made within international football, respect for the rights of those involved, and the safeguards needed to prevent similar situations from happening again," the RBFA said in a statement on Thursday, Oct. 15.
RBFA president and FIFA Council member Pascale Van Damme said that she had put the following three questions to FIFA at the meeting on Thursday:
- President Donald Trump has publicly acknowledged intervening in the Balogun case. Can FIFA guarantee that there was no interference whatsoever, by anyone, during the disciplinary proceedings?
- What were the exceptional circumstances surrounding the Balogun case, and what criteria were applied when implementing Article 27 in comparable cases?
- Can FIFA guarantee that, in the future, member associations will have the right to be heard in relation to all decisions taken by FIFA’s disciplinary bodies?
"FIFA’s confirmation that Article 27 will be amended, following the request we had already submitted in July, is an important step. The proposed amendment, together with an explanation of the specific circumstances of the Balogun case, will be submitted in Doha," Van Damme said.
"For us, this is not where it ends. We want not only to see the rules amended, but also to have clarity on how they are applied. Transparency, legal certainty and good governance must form the foundation of every decision taken within international football. We will continue to monitor this matter closely.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: FIFA set to change rule at center of controversial Folarin Balogun decision
