Folarin Balogun was suspended after receiving a red card for serious foul play in the United States’ match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, when his challenge on Tarik Muharemovic led to contact with the defender’s leg and foot.

What happened

  • Balogun was shown a red card after a VAR review in the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  • Reports say his boot came down on Muharemovic’s ankle/foot while both were contesting the ball.
  • That red card normally triggers an automatic one-match suspension.

Why it was controversial

  • Many viewers and analysts thought the foul was accidental and harsh.
  • FIFA later suspended the ban, making him available again for the next match.
  • The reversal drew attention because it was unusual for FIFA to nullify a World Cup suspension.

Bottom line

He was not suspended for off-field misconduct; it was a match suspension tied to the red card, and the key issue was whether the challenge counted as serious foul play.