What happens after a red card at the 2026 World Cup? Folarin Balogun's suspension explained

As has been the case throughout the 2026 World Cup, many are wondering what happens to a player who accumulates yellow cards or receives a red card. This is the exact situation facing Folarin Balogun, who went from hero to villain in a matter of minutes during the United States' victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup Round of 32. The striker opened the scoring in the 45th minute but ended up sent off in the second half following a controversial sequence reviewed by VAR. The play occurred when Balogun was contesting a loose ball with defender Tarik Muharemovic. As he came down, the American attacker stepped on the back of his opponent's foot—an action that initially went unnoticed by the referee. Neither a foul nor a card was signaled at first. However, persistent protests from the Bosnia and Herzegovina bench prompted Brazilian referee Raphael Claus to review the play on the VAR monitor. After analyzing the footage, Claus concluded that the challenge constituted serious foul play and showed a straight red card to Balogun, leaving the United States with ten men for the remainder of the match. Despite the heavy blow, the striker received the backing of his teammates, especially Christian Pulisic, and even Bosnian defender Sead Kolašinac, who approached to comfort him after the ejection. Even down a man, the United States managed to maintain control of the match and ultimately secured a 2-0 victory to seal their qualification to the Round of 16, where they will face Belgium. The ejection will carry a heavy cost for the American squad. Because it was a straight red card, Folarin Balogun must serve a one-match suspension, meaning he will miss the decisive clash against Belgium, leaving the team without its main offensive weapon. When it comes to yellow cards issued at the World Cup, a player must serve a one-game suspension if they accumulate two bookings. It is worth noting that yellow cards were wiped clean at the end of the Group Stage, and the same reset will occur upon the conclusion of the Quarterfinals.