U.S. men’s national team striker Folarin Balogun will be allowed to play against Belgium in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, despite earning a red card in the round of 32 and initially being sentenced to a one-game ban. The 25-year-old is not completely off the hook, though, and will have to pay a fine and serve his one-game suspension at a later date. On Monday, two hours before the USMNT is due to kick off in Seattle, FIFA released a lengthy explanation of the process that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee followed in ultimately suspending Balogun’s red card. In the official statement, FIFA announced that Balogun would be fined $40,000 for “possible breaches” of Article 66 and Article 14 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, regarding his behavior following his red card and for entering the field of play to celebrate with his teammates as a red-carded player. FIFA informed U.S. Soccer and Balogun of its decisions on Sunday, and the U.S. Soccer Federation is jointly liable for a fine of up to $20,000. — FIFA Media (@fifamedia) July 6, 2026The rest of the 13-point message from FIFA regarding the timeline and outcome of Balogun’s situation outlined the FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s autonomy “as provided by the FIFA Statutes and the FIFA Disciplinary Code” and cited the now highly-contentious Article 27, which has also benefited Cristiano Ronaldo at this World Cup. However, the release made no mention of White House involvement or the confirmed call between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and U.S. President Donald Trump, which has sparked international outrage. “Reviewing the legal consequences of red cards in football is nothing new in the modern game,” the statement finished. “For instance, in the majority of top-tier leagues belonging to UEFA-affiliated member associations, the overturning of red cards is a common disciplinary measure, yet this has never raised concerns about crossing any “red line”. And again, it should be emphasized that in the decision under scrutiny, the red card was not overturned. Suspending the effects of a red card based on an explicit provision of the applicable regulations is a much more balanced measure.” What Now for Balogun?Folarin Balogun’s story is far from over. | Sarah Stier/FIFA/Getty ImagesThe fine, whether $20,000 or the entirety of $40,000, is unlikely to be a significant hit to Balogun’s finances, as he earns a reported $3.79 million each season with Ligue 1 side AS Monaco and is set to earn a significant windfall from the 2026 World Cup prize money.If the USMNT advances to the quarterfinals, which it is in a better position to do with Balogun’s availability, every player stands to pocket around $484,500. By reaching the round of 16, each player is already set to bank $423,000 from the summer. There remains a slight concern that the USMNT could win Monday’s match but ultimately be eliminated from the World Cup, as the Royal Belgian Football Association has vowed to be “investigating all options.” There is a possibility that Balogun could be deemed ineligible retroactively, resulting in a 3–0 forfeit to the U.S. if successful. Balogun has scored three goals for the USMNT this summer, bringing him to 12 goals in just 30 international appearances. READ THE LATEST WORLD CUP NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FCAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow