The Royal Belgian Football **** ociation (RBFA) has said it is "astonished" by FIFA's decision to declare Folarin Balogun eligible for Monday, July 6's United States-Belgium match.
The Belgian federation has already announced that it is "exploring all potential options" in response to FIFA's decision.
FIFA is basing its decision on Article 27 of the Disciplinary Code, which allows the Disciplinary Committee to suspend the enforcement of a previously imposed sanction. The RBFA argues in response that Article 66.4 of the same code states that a sending-off automatically results in a suspension for the next match, as has happened with all the other red cards in the tournament.
The Belgian federation adds that the decision also contradicts Article 10.5 of the 2026 World Cup Competition Regulations, which sets out an automatic suspension following a straight red card or a second yellow. The same criterion, the RBFA notes, was reaffirmed in World Cup Circular No. 16, distributed to all federations on May 12, 2026.
The Belgian federation has already announced that it is "exploring all potential options" in response to FIFA's decision.
FIFA is basing its decision on Article 27 of the Disciplinary Code, which allows the Disciplinary Committee to suspend the enforcement of a previously imposed sanction. The RBFA argues in response that Article 66.4 of the same code states that a sending-off automatically results in a suspension for the next match, as has happened with all the other red cards in the tournament.
The Belgian federation adds that the decision also contradicts Article 10.5 of the 2026 World Cup Competition Regulations, which sets out an automatic suspension following a straight red card or a second yellow. The same criterion, the RBFA notes, was reaffirmed in World Cup Circular No. 16, distributed to all federations on May 12, 2026.
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