The Belgium soccer federation has been granted the right to appeal FIFA's controversial decision to lift the one-match suspension of Folarin Balogun, the United States striker. Balogun received a red card during the United States' victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina after a VAR review, but FIFA overturned the suspension, allowing him to play against Belgium on Monday.

Belgium's appeal submission is due Monday morning, with a ruling expected before game time, though FIFA has not guaranteed this. Rudi Garcia, Belgium's national team manager, expressed the federation's intent to defend the integrity of football, stating, "It's defending football in general, its integrity and its ethics."

Donald Trump, President of the United States, also weighed in, thanking FIFA for reversing what he called a "great injustice" on Truth Social. Reports indicate that Trump contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino to discuss Balogun's situation, as the U.S. government lobbied for the suspension's reversal.

In a statement, the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) expressed frustration over FIFA's handling of the appeal process, noting that they received no explanation for the lifted suspension and that FIFA had not communicated its decision properly. They emphasized their commitment to defending the principles of ethics and fair competition in football.

UEFA, the governing body of European soccer, criticized FIFA's actions, asserting that the decision to suspend Balogun's automatic suspension undermines the integrity of the game. They emphasized that the rules of football should be consistently applied, especially in critical tournaments like the World Cup.