During the FIFA World Cup 2026™ match between USA and Bosnia & Herzegovina on 1 July 2026, USA player Folarin Balogun was expelled from the match. Despite his expulsion, he entered the field of play to celebrate with his teammates after the game, leading to FIFA opening disciplinary proceedings against him.
Balogun was found guilty of breaches of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, which resulted in a one-match suspension and a USD 40,000 fine. The suspension was meant to include the upcoming match against Belgium. However, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee decided to suspend the implementation of the one-match suspension for a probationary period of one year, essentially allowing Balogun to continue playing unless he commits another similar offence.
The USD 40,000 fine was divided equally between the violation of Article 14 and Article 66 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. The U.S. Soccer Federation was also declared jointly liable for the payment of the fine. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee upheld the referee’s decision to send off Balogun during the match, but decided on the further disciplinary actions post-match.
The decision to suspend the implementation of the automatic match suspension was made after considering all the specific circumstances surrounding the incident. This measure, according to FIFA, is not unprecedented and is fully consistent with the general guiding principles for determining applicable disciplinary sanctions.
