Seattle: The United States received a major boost ahead of its FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash against Belgium after soccer's governing body unexpectedly cleared striker Folarin Balogunto play, following an extraordinary disciplinary reversal that has put President Donald Trump at the center of an intensifying controversy.According to a source familiar with the discussions, Trump spoke this week with Gianni Infantino after Balogun was shown a straight red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina, asking the FIFA president to review the incident.Just days later, FIFA announced that its Disciplinary Committee had invoked the little-used Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code to suspend Balogun's automatic one-match ban for a one-year probationary period, making the 25-year-old forward eligible to face Belgium on Monday in Seattle.A highly unusual decisionThe announcement surprised players, fans and analysts alike.Balogun had been widely expected to miss the knockout match after being sent off in the 64th minute of the United States' 2-0 Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Following a VAR review, officials upgraded his foul on Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic to a straight red card for serious foul play after he stepped on the defender's ankle.Ordinarily, such an offense carries an automatic one-match suspension.For days, neither the US team nor supporters believed there was any avenue for Balogun to avoid the ban.That changed after reports revealed FIFA had opted to use Article 27, an infrequently applied provision allowing disciplinary authorities to suspend the implementation of an on-field sanction under probationary conditions.Rare exception: What Article 27 meansThe ruling does not erase Balogun's red card.Instead, it postpones the mandatory suspension for one year. If Balogun commits another comparable disciplinary offense during that probationary period, the suspended ban will immediately take effect in addition to any new punishment imposed.While Article 27 has been used before, football observers say its application to suspend an automatic red-card suspension during the knockout stage of a World Cup is exceptionally rare and is likely to fuel debate over consistency and transparency in FIFA's disciplinary process.Why Balogun mattersThe decision is significant for the United States.Under coach Mauricio Pochettino, Balogun has emerged as the focal point of the Americans' high-pressing attack and enters the Belgium match as the team's leading scorer with three goals in four World Cup matches.He had already found the net against Bosnia before being dismissed in the second half.US Soccer welcomes rulingUS Soccer said it accepted FIFA's decision and shifted its focus to Monday's knockout match."We accept the decision of the Disciplinary Committee and are pleased that Folarin Balogun is eligible to compete tomorrow," the federation said. "Our full attention is focused on the Round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle, and we look forward to the continued support of our amazing fans."Why the decision is controversialThe timing of the ruling — and reports that Trump personally contacted Infantino before FIFA announced its reversal — has prompted questions over whether political influence played any role in what is typically an independent judicial process.FIFA has cited Article 27 as the legal basis for its decision, but the unusual use of the provision in a high-profile World Cup knockout stage is expected to remain under intense scrutiny as the tournament continues.