Balogun starts for USA after red card suspension

United States striker Folarin Balogun will start Monday's World Cup Round of 16 match against Belgium after FIFA suspended the red-card sanction he received in the team's last 32 match, with a FIFA appeals committee rejecting Belgium's challenge to the decision.

Balogun, USA’s top scorer at the World Cup 2026 with three goals, will lead the attack alongside Christian Pulisic.

FIFA dismissed Belgium's challenge to Balogun's eligibility for the last-16 showdown as 'inadmissible', leaving the European side to approach the US Soccer Federation to contest his inclusion.

FIFA suspended Balogun's red-card ban and cleared him to play in the last-16 tie after US President Donald Trump personally urged FIFA chief Gianni Infantino to review the case. Infantino denied being involved in the final decision.

The unprecedented ruling has sparked widespread debate over the independence and consistency of FIFA's disciplinary procedures, with Belgium also expressing frustration over the decision ahead of the knockout fixture.

US coach Mauricio Pochettino selected Matt Freese to start in goal, with no changes from the previous match against Bosnia.

For Belgium, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, who scored a goal in their important 3-2 win against Senegal and Jeremy Doku all start on the bench.

US starting XI

Matt Freese, Sergino Dest, Chris Richards, Tyler Adams, Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, Tim Ream, Alex Freeman, Malik Tillman, Folarin Balogun.

Belgium starting XI

Thibaut Courtois, Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper, Youri Tielemans, Leandro Trossard, Charles De Ketelaere, Timothy Castagne, Nathan Ngoy, Nicolas Raskin, Amadou Onana, Dodi Lukebakio.