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Striker Folarin Balogun will be available for selection when the United States face Belgium in the World Cup Round of 16, despite having been sent off in their previous fixture.

The former Arsenal forward received his marching orders for a challenge on Tarik Muharemovic during the USA’s 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in San Francisco, California, after he accidentally stepped on the defender’s ankle.

Balogun, who now plays for Monaco under Mauricio Pochettino, had opened the scoring just before half-time, but his dismissal shortly after the hour mark stirred controversy among fans and pundits alike.

Pochettino, previously in charge at Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, expressed strong disagreement with the referee’s decision, saying: “For me? Never a red card. Never an intention to step on the player. It was a normal action in football that happened by accident.”

Despite being shown a straight red, Balogun’s suspension has now been “suspended”, allowing him to feature against Belgium rather than serving a one-match ban he was initially expected to miss. FIFA confirmed that the striker’s punishment has been deferred for a period of one year.

In an official statement, football’s governing body explained: “In line with article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year.”

The statement further clarified: “If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”

United States President Donald Trump described the forward’s red card as a “great injustice” and publicly thanked FIFA for overturning it. “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP,” he wrote on Truth Social.

FIFA has previously invoked Article 27 to allow Cristiano Ronaldo to play for Portugal in their opening World Cup match against DR Congo, following the forward’s red card earlier in the year against the Republic of Ireland.