The Independent45%
Folarin Balogun red card extraordinarily wiped by Fifa in huge World Cup boost for USA 63%
By Kieran Jackson0%
7/5/2026, 5:42:33 PM
BS Summary: This article contains 19 faulty reasoning types, including Negativity Bias, Appeal to Authority, and Appeal to Emotion, with Framing Effect as the most egregious example at 32.8% saturation with 97 hits. Analysis detected 752 faulty-reasoning hits from 296 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 57.8% and a BS Rank of 63% (8,226 of 21,886 articles). This article is worse (more manipulative) than 62.40% of the article peer group.
Folarin Balogun’s one-match suspension for his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina has been wiped - meaning the USA forward is free to play against Belgium on Monday.
In an extraordinary development and a huge boost for the co-hosts, United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino will have his star striker available for the World Cup last-16 tie in Seattle after Fifa decided to “suspend” Balogun’s ban.
It was well-documented, and criticised, that there was no avenue in Fifa’s regulations for US officials to appeal Balogun’s red card, given the presence of VAR.
However, Article 27 of Fifa’s disciplinary code states: “The judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure.”
It adds: “If the person benefiting from a suspended sanction commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked by the judicial body and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”
US president Donald Trump, who’s close relationship with Fifa president Gianni Infantino has been the subject of scrutiny this tournament, reacted to the decision by thanking the world governing body on Truth Social.
He wrote: “Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!”
Another factor in Fifa’s decision may have been the non-awarding of a red card for Lionel Messi for a similar tackle in Argentina’s win against Algeria.
Pochettino opined after the 2-0 Bosnia win, in which Balogun scored, that he felt the incident - which saw Balogun scrape his studs down the calf of defender Tarik Muharemovic - was “never a red card” and insisted the foul was “not intentional.”
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