FIFA did something it almost never does: it overturned the automatic one-match suspension for US striker Folarin Balogun after his straight red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1, 2026. Now, with the Round of 16 clash against Belgium set for July 6 at Seattle’s Lumen Field, the officiating crew is under a microscope, and crypto traders are doing what they do best. They’re betting on the chaos.
The Belgian Football Association has publicly said it is “astonished” by FIFA’s reversal, hinting at formal complaints if the decision ends up disadvantaging their squad.
The red card reversal that broke the internet
Balogun picked up a straight red in the US victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, a decision reviewed by VAR during the match. Under normal FIFA rules, that’s an automatic one-game ban, which would have sidelined him for the Belgium fixture. FIFA chose to suspend that ban, effectively clearing Balogun to play.
Jordanian referee Adham Makhadmeh will lead the officiating crew, with Khamis Al-Marri from Qatar handling VAR duties.
