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The United States is one victory away from tying the most successful World Cup in its history, having reached the quarterfinals once before, in 2002.
With the victory, the Stars and Stripes are in the round of 16. The United States will face Belgium on Monday, July 6 on FOX at 8 pm ET (broadcast on FOX One).
The United States already knows the great impact that the referee can have on a match. In the 64th minute of their round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, United States star striker Folarin Balogun was sent off with a controversial red card.
Folarin Balogun received a red card in the United States’ round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images).
And with that decision, Balogun was expected to serve an automatic one-game suspension and miss the crucial matchup against Belgium.
However, in a surprising turn of events, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee ruled that Balogun will now be eligible to play in the round of 16.
So who is the referee of this critical match?
Referee United States vs. Belgium
FIFA has appointed Jordanian manager Adham Makhadmeh to referee the round of 16 clash between the United States and Belgium.
Makhadmeh has been a FIFA international referee since 2013 and has spent more than a decade refereeing FIFA World Cup qualifiers, AFC competitions and other major international tournaments. He also officiated the first leg of the 2017 AFC Champions League final between Al Hilal and Urawa Red Diamonds, one of the biggest club matches in Asian football.
Adham Makhadmeh is the referee of the United States vs. Belgium in the round of 16 (Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images).
The 39-year-old was selected to referee at the 2026 FIFA World Cup along with two other Jordanian assistant referees.
He made his tournament debut in Spain’s Group H match against Cape Verde on 15 June before refereeing between New Zealand and Belgium in the group stage on 26 June. He was then handed England’s round of 32 victory over the Democratic Republic of the Congo on July 1, and now receives another high-profile knockout assignment with the United States and Belgium.
Known for his calm demeanor and ability to manage high-pressure matches, Makhadmeh has earned a reputation as one of Asia’s most trusted referees.
Now, with the entire world watching, Makhadmeh will be the referee on Monday in Seattle as the United States looks to make history.
