What did Balogun do for the red card?

Folarin Balogun was shown a straight red card at the 2026 World Cup because he stepped on a Bosnia and Herzegovina defender’s ankle in a dangerous challenge that was upgraded by VAR to a “serious foul”.

Quick scoop

  • Match : USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina, Round of 32, 2026 FIFA World Cup (July 1, 2026).
  • When : Around the 64th–65th minute of the match.
  • What happened : Balogun was competing for the ball with center back Tarik Muharemović, tried to play it, and as he fell his right foot landed on and stepped on Muharemović’s ankle, twisting it badly.
  • Initial call : The referee first treated it as a normal foul and only booked it.
  • VAR upgrade : After video review, Brazilian referee Raphael Claus ruled it a serious foul and awarded a straight red card, forcing the US to finish with 10 men.

Why it was controversial

Many analysts and former referees argue the incident looked more like a reckless but not clearly excessive-force challenge, and that VAR may have misapplied the protocol for upgrading fouls to red cards. Some reports describe the call as “controversial” because the initial decision was a standard foul, not a red, and the step-on appeared incidental rather than deliberately vicious.

Consequences for Balogun and the USMNT

  • Immediate : Balogun was ejected, and the US played the remainder of the match with 10 players.
  • Suspension : Under World Cup rules, a straight red card triggers an automatic one-match suspension, so Balogun missed the USA’s next game, the Round of 16 against Belgium in Seattle.
  • Appeal options : FIFA generally allows appeals only for mistaken identity or in very limited circumstances; most normal red-card decisions for serious foul play are not rescindable, meaning Balogun’s suspension is expected to stand unless an exceptional case is found.

Bonus: Earlier Balogun red card (not World Cup)

There was also a separate red card earlier in Balogun’s career:

  • In November 2025 , while playing for Monaco in Ligue 1 against Lens, Balogun scored a penalty but then was shown a red card just before halftime for a dangerous challenge on Mamadou Sangaré’s ankle.
  • That incident was club-level, not related to the 2026 World Cup, but is sometimes mentioned in the same search because it’s another notable Balogun red card.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.