Belgium vows to ‘defend football’ after FIFA overturns Balogun suspension

Belgium vowed to “defend football” after FIFA’s controversial decision to suspend the automatic one-match ban imposed on US striker Folarin Balogun sparked accusations of unfairness and fresh scrutiny over reports that President Donald Trump spoke with FIFA President Gianni Infantino before the ruling, Forbes reported Monday.

PUNCH Online reports that Belgium will face the US in a FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match on Monday, July 6, at 8pm ET (0000 GMT Tuesday), an equivalent of 1am on Tuesday morning WAT,  at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, with the winner advancing to the quarterfinals.

The decision, announced just a day before the United States faces Belgium in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16, has drawn sharp criticism from Belgian officials, rival coaches and some of football’s biggest names, who questioned both the timing of the move and the process behind it.

According to Forbes, the Royal Belgian Football Association said it was “astonished” by FIFA’s decision, arguing that the governing body’s disciplinary code clearly states that a red card carries an automatic suspension for a team’s next match, “as has been the case for all previous red cards issued during this FIFA World Cup.”

The federation said it is investigating “all potential options” to safeguard the “legitimate rights” of all participating teams and to protect the “principles of fair play.”

Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia delivered an even stronger rebuke during his pre-match press conference, saying he did not realize that July 5 at the World Cup was “April Fool’s Day.”

Garcia said that when Belgium takes the field against the United States on Monday night, it will not simply be representing the national team or the Belgian football federation.

Instead, he said, the players would be “defending football with its ethics and integrity.”

Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said the squad was surprised by the timing of FIFA’s decision, which came only a day before kickoff, but insisted “nothing changes” as the team’s focus remains on the match.

The controversy has also resonated beyond Belgium.

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England manager Thomas Tuchel questioned FIFA’s handling of the decision after his side defeated Mexico 3-2 to reach the quarter-finals, where England will be without defender Jarell Quansah, who received an automatic suspension after being sent off for a dangerous sliding tackle on Mexico’s Jesus Gallardo.

Tuchel warned that overturning Balogun’s suspension could create uncertainty for every team in the tournament.

He said, “Who overturns this decision and when and on what grounds? And how far does this go now? It is just strange for me.”

When asked whether England should ask President Trump to intervene in Quansah’s suspension as well, Tuchel responded with a smile: “Maybe, that’s a good starting point.”

Former England captain Wayne Rooney was even more scathing in his assessment of FIFA’s decision.

Speaking on BBC Sport before England’s Round of 16 victory, Rooney described the ruling as “an absolute disgrace. Infantino should be ashamed of this. The sportsmanship of the game is in question here.”

Former France star Thierry Henry, speaking on Fox Sports, said the late reversal was likely to have affected Belgium’s preparations.

Henry said the decision must have broken the Belgian team’s “spirit a tiny bit,” noting that they had prepared to play the United States a “certain way” before being forced to rethink their tactics after Balogun became eligible again.

Although Henry said he believed Balogun never deserved a red card in the first place, he “criticized FIFA for the length of time it took to reach its final decision, arguing that the delayed ruling created unnecessary uncertainty ahead of one of the tournament’s biggest knockout matches.”