Folarin Balogun will suit up for the United States against Belgium on Monday after FIFA suspended the suspension that had threatened to sideline the tournament's breakout American scorer from the most consequential match of the campaign.
The reversal clears the way for the striker to play in a win-or-go-home Round of 16 encounter in Seattle. Victory sends the U.S. to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002, a barrier the program has rarely breached in the modern era.
Balogun had drawn a one-game ban following a red card in the Bosnia match, the result of a controversial tackle that sent him off after video review. The dismissal immediately drew fire from American officials and fans who viewed it as a miscarriage of judgment. Secretary of State Marco Rubio publicly criticized FIFA's handling of the situation, while President Trump praised the federation's decision to reverse course, calling it "what was right."
The timing of the reprieve could hardly be more pivotal. Balogun has emerged as the focal point of an unexpectedly dominant American run through group play. He leads the team with three goals, matching Landon Donovan's second-best single-tournament output by a U.S. player, and has either scored or assisted in every game he has played. His offensive contributions powered the Americans to their strongest group stage ever, with eight goals across wins against Paraguay and Australia along with a loss to Turkey that still left them atop their group with six points.
Monday's match against Belgium carries knockout stakes that underscores just how rare a moment this represents for American soccer. The national team has reached a quarterfinal only once in the modern World Cup era, falling to Germany in 2002. Prior to that, the U.S. last found significant success in 1930, when it finished third overall, a mark that remains the nation's best-ever World Cup result.
The match kicks off at 8 p.m. ET in Seattle, with Spain or Portugal awaiting the winner in the round of eight.
Author James Rodriguez: "FIFA's about-face suggests American pressure actually moved the needle, but the real test comes Monday when Balogun and the USMNT have to prove they belong at this level."
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