The United States men's national team advanced to the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday night, but the win came at a significant cost. Forward Folarin Balogun, who scored his third goal of the tournament in the match, was shown a red card in the 64th minute after a VAR review determined he stepped on the right ankle of defender Tarik Muharemovic. The red card means Balogun will be suspended for the team's upcoming knockout match against Belgium on Monday night in Seattle.
Brazilian referee Raphael Claus initially issued a yellow card for the incident but upgraded it to a red after reviewing the play on the pitchside monitor. Replays showed Balogun and Muharemovic jostling for position as a ball came in, and Balogun's right foot landed on the back of Muharemovic's leg, causing a rolled ankle. Balogun appeared to be looking away from the defender as he tried to land after being bumped himself. The decision stunned players, coaches, and fans at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, as well as viewers watching at home.
After the match, midfielder Weston McKennie voiced strong frustration over the lack of an appeal process for red cards and suspensions. A FIFA official told The Athletic that teams cannot appeal against a red card or the resulting suspension, citing the organization's rules and regulations, which state: «A sending-off automatically incurs suspension from the subsequent match. The FIFA judicial bodies may impose additional match suspensions and other disciplinary measures.» McKennie called the situation «bogus» and disagreed with the referee's decision. «Obviously the ref made a decision that he made, but I think it's questionable,» McKennie said. «I think there's been many other plays like that throughout the tournament on other players that a card wasn't given at all. It's disappointing.»
U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino also defended his player, insisting the act was never intentional. «It's never a red card. Never,» Pochettino said. «If the intention is to damage the opponent, OK, I understand. But that never was. It was a normal action in football that you are fighting for the ball and your feet land.» The coach now faces the challenge of finding a replacement for Balogun in the starting lineup against a formidable Belgian side.
Former USMNT star Alexi Lalas did not hold back his criticism of the officiating during the match. Speaking on the FOX Sports broadcast, Lalas called it «an absolute joke of a refereeing night.» He also drew attention to what he saw as inconsistency in disciplinary decisions across the tournament. Lalas posted a clip on X showing Argentina star Lionel Messi digging his cleat into the back of an Algerian player's calf during Argentina's World Cup opener, an incident that did not result in any reprimand. Lalas captioned the post with a simple «'Sup,» implying that a more egregious action went unpunished while Balogun was sent off.
The red card places Balogun in a rare group of players who have both scored in a World Cup knockout match and been sent off. He joins Brazil's Ronaldinho, who scored and was sent off in the 2002 quarterfinal against England, and France's Zinedine Zidane, who scored and was sent off in the 2006 final against Italy. It is also the fifth red card issued to an American player in World Cup history. Eric Wynalda received one against Czechoslovakia in 1990, Fernando Clavijo against Brazil in 1994, and Pablo Mastroeni and Eddie Pope each received one against Italy in 2006.
The USMNT will now prepare to face Belgium without one of their most dangerous attacking players. Manager Pochettino and his staff will need to decide who will take Balogun's place in the lineup for the Round of 16 match, scheduled for July 6 at 8 p.m. at Seattle Stadium. The debate over the red card decision is expected to continue in the days leading up to the match, as the team looks to advance further in the tournament despite the setback.