US national team striker Folarin Balogun has reacted to the decision to cancel his red card in the 2026 World Cup.
Sport.Biz reports that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee suspended the striker's one-match ban for being sent off in the round of 16 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina (2-0) and allowed him to play in the round of 16 match against Belgium (1-4). US President Donald Trump later confirmed that he spoke with FIFA President Gianni Infantino about the matter.
"My first reaction was joy because I was returning to the team, but then I realized it would cause a lot of controversy. I could see that my teammates were a bit upset, because it was a completely unique situation. The closer we got to the game, the more I tried to focus on it, but it was difficult; there was so much outside noise that it was hard to escape";, - Balogun told CBS News.
The 2026 World Cup will take place in Mexico, Canada, and the United States from June 11 to July 19. Argentina is the current champion