FIFA have declared that United States striker Folarin Balogun is eligible to face Belgium in the World Cup quarter-final but the Belgian FA will contest his presence if he is selected to face them on Monday18:15, 06 Jul 2026Updated 18:22, 06 Jul 2026The Belgian FA have confirmed they will contest the eligibility of Folarin Balogun if the striker plays for the United States against Belgium. The national body says that “this leaves all further actions open” after FIFA dismissed their appeal against Balogun's one-match ban being lifted.‌FIFA earlier rejected Belgium's appeal, declaring: "The request was rendered inadmissible on the grounds that the RBFA is not a party to the proceedings and, as such, has no standing to appeal the decision."‌Balogun was sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last 32 of the World Cup, having accidentally caught Tarik Muharemovic with his studs. After a VAR review, the former Arsenal forward was shown a straight red card and expected to miss the round of 16 clash against Belgium.‌Instead, FIFA revealed on Sunday that his one-game ban had been suspended for a year. The United States had not been permitted to appeal the red card, however.The decision to lessen Balogun's punishment has come under a great deal of scrutiny after US President Donald Trump admitted that he had called FIFA chief Gianni Infantino to ask for a review. Infantino has since come out to claim he played no role in the process of deciding Balogun's fate.“I have seen the public comments regarding the decision of the independent FIFA Disciplinary Committee related to the suspension of Folarin Balogun, and I would like to reiterate a fundamental principle of FIFA’s governance," he said in a statement.‌“FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them. Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected.“Yes, I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the President of the United States, and on this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues. During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies. That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.“I read the decisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee when they are issued. Sometimes I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree.Article continues belowGet the latest World Cup news straight to your inbox by signing up to our Make Football Great Again newsletter now!“What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them. Whether we personally like a decision or not is irrelevant. Respect for independent institutions and the rule of law is what protects the integrity of our competitions and the credibility of FIFA at all times.”There will be more to follow on this breaking news story and Mirror Sport will bring you the very latest updates, pictures and video as soon as possible. Please check back regularly for updates on this developing story. Follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Apple News, Twitter, Facebook or visit The Mirror homepage.