It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say the soccer world was stunned by Sunday’s news that USMNT forward Folarin Balogun would be available to face Belgium in the World Cup round of 16.The Athletic exclusively revealed the news, later confirmed by organiser FIFA, that the 25-year-old’s one-match ban for the straight red card he received in Wednesday’s last-32 clash against Bosnia and Herzegovina was suspended for a year.Balogun was sent off in the 64th minute of the USMNT’s 2-0 win at Levi’s Stadium for a challenge on Tarik Muharemovic. After reaching out to position himself while pursuing the ball down the left sideline, his right boot landed on the back of his opponent’s leg and raked down to his ankle.On-field official Raphael Claus didn’t immediately show a red card, but the video assistant referee advised him to review the incident. After consulting the pitchside monitor, Claus announced a “serious foul” to the crowd and sent off the forward. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino and forward Christian Pulisic were highly critical of the decision after the match.FIFA officials told The Athletic after the game that a team cannot appeal against a red card or the subsequent suspension. Article 10.5 of the world governing body’s tournament rules states that a one-game suspension is automatically applied to a player who receives a straight red card.However, FIFA pointed to article 27 of its disciplinary code, explaining how “the implementation of the match suspension” can be “suspended for a probationary period of one year”.A FIFA statement added: “If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”After The Athletic revealed the news, a New York Times report stated that U.S. President Donald Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino in the wake of Wednesday’s game to ask for a review into Balogun’s suspension. A source familiar with the situation, who remains anonymous to protect relationships, confirmed to The Athletic that a call did take place. FIFA has been approached for comment.Trump welcomed the news, posting on Truth Social: “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!”The verdict from our readers“Well, this is going to open Pandora’s box,” comments user Micheal S.Some, including soualexandrerocha, argue it was already ajar. “Well, once FIFA opened that door for Cristiano Ronaldo…” they said, referring to FIFA’s decision to suspend the final two games of the 41-year-old’s three-match ban for a red card he received in qualifying.Without that ruling, he would have missed Portugal’s first two group-stage matches. A FIFA rule amendment published over five months later meant all other suspensions hanging from qualifying into the main tournament would not carry over.Jay H, a U.S. fan, was concerned by the optics around Balogun’s availability at Lumen Field in Seattle.“This sucks,” Jay said. “FIFA needs to be consistent. With the suspension revoked, it puts an asterisk next to the Belgium match forever. If we win, people will say it’s because we cheated — or, even worse, that our s***head president had something to do with it.“I realise that Ronaldo received the same treatment from FIFA, but that wasn’t appropriate and this isn’t either. Plus, there’s nothing more truly American than saying, ‘Fine, Balogun is suspended, but we’re going to pull together as a team and beat you anyway’. Now, we look as bad as FIFA and Trump.”Another U.S. fan, Tyler M, was “thrilled” to see Balogun available to feature in Monday’s crucial tie, but could not ignore the perceived elasticity in the tournament regulations, and pointed towards flaws in the suspension rules.“Obviously, I’m thrilled as a U.S. fan,” the user said. “But it is yet more evidence that FIFA ‘rules’ are subject to arbitrary modification for whatever reason at the whim of officials.“The problem is with the ‘automatic’ ban for any red card. The default, especially in international tournaments, should be that being sent off and having your team play down a man for the rest of the game is punishment enough, with the disciplinary committee having discretion to add a suspension for particularly egregious conduct.”Despite many arguing the decision to send off Balogun was harsh, The Athletic user eric did not feel it was particularly controversial. “What? I don’t understand that decision,” eric said. “That’s a red card in any of the European leagues every day of the week. That wasn’t a controversial decision. Balogun stepped on the guy’s ankle.”The entire controversy was perhaps most succinctly put by Inioluwa A. “Wow,” they said.How has the soccer world reacted?The Belgian Football Association issued a statement shortly after Sunday’s news, saying it was “astonished” by the decision, which it argued was in “direct contradiction” with the competition regulations, and that it was “investigating all potential options”.The Athletic reported Monday that Belgium has been granted the right to appeal the decision.Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia said: “The Belgian federation isn’t just defending itself or the national team; it’s defending football in general — its integrity and its ethics.”Garcia added: “I didn’t know that at the World Cup July 5 is actually April 1. It’s April Fool’s.”UEFA, the governing body for European football, said in a statement Monday the suspension of Balogun’s ban “crossed a red line” and labelled the decision “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable”.Folarin Balogun has scored three goals in three World Cup games (Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)In quotes reported by Reuters, Bernd Neuendorf — president of Germany’s FA — said FIFA must provide clarity over its communication with Trump.“FIFA should issue a prompt statement regarding reports that the decision to overturn the red card shown to Balogun was preceded by a telephone call between Trump and Infantino,” Neuendorf said. “The impression that there has been active political interference in sport must be dispelled swiftly and conclusively. The integrity of the competition and the credibility of FIFA are at stake.”Several coaches have also spoken about the decision. England head coach Thomas Tuchel said that while he disagreed with Balogun receiving a red card for his challenge, it was “just strange” to overturn it.Norway coach Stale Solbakken said it was a “big mistake” by FIFA, adding it’s a “bad decision that will hurt the World Cup” and that he “feels sorry” for the U.S. team, saying the decision will hang over them through the tournament.Jurgen Klopp, who is in talks to become Germany’s new manager following Julian Nagelsmann’s resignation, described it as “madness” and said Trump and Infantino “should have absolutely nothing to do” with the Balogun decision.