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The United States men’s national team scored arguably its biggest victory in recent history, but it came at a high cost.
In the midst of their 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday night, Folarin Balogun, the team’s top scorer in this World Cup, who found the back of the net in the first half, received a controversial red card.
Going for a loose ball, Balogun and an opponent incidentally became tangled to the point where Balogun stepped on the opponent’s ankle, causing him to roll awkwardly. The video assistant referee (VAR) ordered the play to be reviewed and Balogun’s transgressions were deemed “serious enough” to merit a red card.
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Folarin Balogun of United States of America leaves the field after receiving a red card during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match between United States of America and Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1, 2026 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California. (Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The red card meant that not only was Balogun ejected from the game and the United States was forced to play the rest of the match with 10 personnel, but Balogun will also miss the team’s round of 16 match against Belgium on Monday.
Almost immediately, the outcry over the red card was extreme and fans expected some sort of appeal process to take place, but there is none.
Article 9.6 of the 2026 World Cup regulations reads: “Protests may not be lodged against the referee’s decisions regarding facts relating to the game. Such decisions are final and are not subject to appeal, unless otherwise stipulated in the FIFA Disciplinary Code.”
“If a player or team official is sent off as a result of a direct or indirect red card (second warning), he will be automatically suspended from his team’s next match,” states article 10.5.
In fact, the punishments can only increase. For example, Qatari midfielder Assim Madibo was suspended for five games after breaking the leg of Canadian Ismaël Koné. While unlikely in Balogun’s case, it’s not really out of the question.
Folarin Balogun of the United States receives a red card from referee Raphael Claus during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on July 1, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Getty Images)
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There are many different opinions on whether VAR was correctly applied to the situation, but unfortunately for the United States, it can simply be used to determine whether a red card should be given. And ultimately, after viewing the footage, the decision is up to the head referee, although the referee may receive information from the video assistant referee and/or other referees.
The International Football Association Board states that slow motion replay should generally be avoided in VAR, but could be used to determine “facts, for example position of offense/player, point of contact for physical and handball infringements, ball out of play (including goal/no goal); normal speed should be used for the ‘intensity’ of an infringement or to decide if it was a handball infringement.” Therefore, this incident may fall under the “physical crimes” portion of that statute.
And ultimately, according to the IFAB, “Any player who lunges at an opponent to contest the ball from the front, side or behind using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangering the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play.”
So even though it doesn’t seem like Balogun had any bad intentions, it’s the unfortunate and unfortunate hand that the USMNT has been dealt. The United States will have no choice but to find a replacement for someone who was arguably their best player in what is now perhaps the most important game in American soccer history.
Folarin Balogun (20) of the United States and Christian Pulisic (10) of the United States wait after Balogun received a red card during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between the United States and Bosnia in Santa Clara, California, near San Francisco, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
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The United States is a slight favorite to defeat Belgium on Monday night in Seattle, but the odds have certainly taken a hit.
