Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code has been at the center of international news, following the world governing body’s decision to allow Folarin Balogun to play against Belgium, despite his red card in the United States’ previous match.

FIFA did not rescind the red card issued to the American forward. Instead, it invoked Article 27 of the Disciplinary Code, which allows its governing bodies to suspend the application of a disciplinary sanction in whole or in part.

Under this provision, the penalty remains in effect but is not immediately enforced. The player is placed on probation for a period of one to four years, and if he commits a similar offense during that time, the suspended penalty is automatically activated, in addition to any new sanction.

In Balogun’s case, FIFA decided to suspend the one-match ban for a one-year probationary period, thereby allowing him to play in the World Cup Round of 16 match against Belgium.

What has sparked the most controversy is that Article 27 does not specify the circumstances under which a suspension may be applied, leaving significant discretion to FIFA’s judicial bodies.

For its part, Belgium cites Article 66.4 of the same Disciplinary Code, which states that any red card automatically results in a suspension from the next match. At the same time, it also cites Article 10.5 of the 2026 World Cup Regulations, which also provides for a mandatory one-match suspension for any player sent off with a direct or indirect red card.

However, FIFA considers that the World Cup Regulations are subject to the current Disciplinary Code and that Article 27 takes precedence, allowing for the suspension of the automatic penalty. This interpretation has sparked strong reactions, as this is the first time since 1962 that a player sent off in a World Cup match has been eligible to play in the very next game.

The case has already become one of the biggest controversies of the tournament, with the Belgian Football Association examining all available legal options and FIFA facing intense criticism for the way it applied Article 27 in the case of Folarin Balogunkan.

*photo source: AP