Folarin Balogun was sent off in the USA's World Cup match against Bosnia-Herzegovina after stepping on an opposing defender's ankle during a contested aerial challenge. Following VAR review, the referee issued a straight red card. FIFA opted to suspend Balogun's mandatory one-match sanction on a year-long probationary basis, enabling him to compete in the upcoming fixture against Belgium.

The decision prompted public support from US President Trump, who praised FIFA for correcting what he termed an injustice, alongside complaints from US officials and supporters who had viewed the sending off as disproportionate. Belgium's football association expressed surprise at the ruling and contended it violates FIFA's own published tournament guidelines that were confirmed to all participating nations prior to the World Cup, announcing it would explore available responses.