FIFA's decision to suspend Folarin Balogun's automatic one-match ban ahead of the United States' FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash with Belgium has divided opinion, but USMNT legend Landon Donovan believes the governing body ultimately made the right decision.
Speaking on Instagram, Donovan defended FIFA's ruling and argued that Balogun should never have been sent off in the first place. "Flo should've never been sent off. You never want to send off a player, especially when they have a chance to play a Round of 16 game in their home country. In the end, they got it right. You don't have to like it."
Balogun was shown a straight red card during the United States' Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina after a VAR review determined that his challenge on Tarik Muharemović amounted to violent conduct. The dismissal automatically ruled him out of the Belgium match before FIFA's disciplinary panel stepped in.
As criticism of FIFA's decision grew, Donovan pushed back against claims that the governing body had set a new precedent.
The former U.S. captain pointed to Cristiano Ronaldo's case less than a year earlier, arguing that FIFA had already used the same provision under similar circumstances "You cannot say it's unprecedented because this has happened before. Check Cristiano Ronaldo's red card in qualifying before the World Cup. Flo is back, justice is done."
Cristiano Ronaldo's Case
Donovan's comparison stems from an incident in November 2025, when Cristiano Ronaldo received a straight red card for an elbow during Portugal's World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland.
Ronaldo initially faced a three-match suspension. After serving the first match against Armenia, FIFA invoked Article 27 to convert the remaining two-match ban into a one-year probationary period, citing the Portuguese captain's long disciplinary record with few previous offenses. The decision ensured Ronaldo remained eligible for Portugal's opening matches at the 2026 World Cup.
Donovan argued that Balogun's case follows the same principle, making FIFA's latest decision consistent with how the rule has been applied in the past.
Why Balogun Can Play Against Belgium
After reviewing Balogun's case, FIFA's independent disciplinary panel suspended his automatic one-match ban under Article 27. The red card itself remains on his disciplinary record, but he is now eligible to face Belgium in the Round of 16.
People are reacting strongly and disagreeing on the new decision. For Donovan, however, Balogun's dismissal was harsh, the appeal process worked as intended, and FIFA simply corrected what he views as the wrong decision by allowing the U.S. striker to return for one of the biggest matches of his career.
