Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco), the star striker for the United States national team—a co-host of the North and Central American World Cup—will be eligible to play in the Round of 16 match against Belgium after his suspension for a red card in the previous game was suspended.

With foreign media reports suggesting that the White House made a request to FIFA regarding the matter, the decision is likely to spark controversy over fairness.

According to an AP report on July 5 (local time), FIFA notified the U.S. Soccer Federation that the one-match suspension handed down to Balogun has been suspended for one year.

The suspension will be officially rescinded if Balogun does not commit a foul of a similar nature and intensity during the one-year probationary period.

Balogun led the U.S. to a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 match held at the Bay Area Stadium in San Francisco on July 2, scoring the opening goal. However, he received a red card during the match for stepping on an opponent's ankle.

At the time, some argued the red card was excessive as there appeared to be no intent, but once the card was issued, a minimum one-match suspension for the team's next game was inevitable under the rules.

As a result, the U.S. team faced the crisis of having to play the Round of 16 match against powerhouse Belgium in Seattle on July 6 without their ace, who has scored three goals in the tournament.

Amid this situation, the AP reported, citing an anonymous source familiar with the matter, that the White House called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a reconsideration of the red card decision against Balogun.

While FIFA regulations do allow for a 12-month suspended sentence for a suspension at the discretion of the Disciplinary Committee, the timing is sensitive.

There is a precedent: in November of last year, during the North and Central American World Cup qualifiers, two of the three matches in a suspension handed to Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo for striking an opponent were suspended for one year.

However, if it is confirmed that the White House asked FIFA for leniency toward a U.S. player, it could trigger a debate over political interference in sports. It may also raise suspicions that FIFA bowed to pressure from the U.S., which is hosting 75% of all tournament matches as a co-host.

FIFA could also face criticism that it decided to suspend the disciplinary action by considering factors outside of the football match, especially given that the U.S. team's performance is directly linked to the tournament's commercial success.

Notably, President Gianni Infantino has close ties with U.S. President Donald Trump, and the FIFA organization led by him awarded the newly established FIFA Peace Prize to President Trump last December.

The moods of the U.S. and Belgium, who are set to face off in the knockout stage, were starkly different.

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on July 5, President Trump stated, "Thank you to FIFA for doing the right thing and correcting a massive injustice."

On the other hand, the Royal Belgian Football Association expressed surprise, hinting that they are reviewing their response by stating they are "looking at all possible options" ahead of the match.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)