WORLD CUP | White House Lobbied FIFA to Lift Folarin Balogun Ban Ahead of USA-Belgium Clash

The White House lobbied FIFA to lift U.S. striker Folarin Balogun’s one-game ban stemming from a red card in the United States’ win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, and FIFA announced Sunday he would be available for the cohosts’ last-16 match against Belgium in Seattle on Monday night, according to Yahoo Sports. FIFA’s disciplinary committee said it acted under Article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code and placed Balogun on a one-year probationary period; Belgium’s federation said it was “astonished” and was exploring options.