Belgium defeated the United States 3-1 in extra time during their World Cup Round of 16 match in Seattle, bringing an end to the USA's tournament run. Despite the 1-1 scoreline at the end of regular time, Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku scored for Belgium in extra time, with Malik Tillman netting a consolation goal for the US. The match was overshadowed by controversy surrounding US striker Folarin Balogun, whose red card suspension from a previous game against Bosnia and Herzegovina was controversially overturned by FIFA after an intervention from US President Donald Trump.
FIFA's decision to suspend Balogun's automatic one-match ban for a probationary period of one year drew criticism from the Belgian federation and raised questions about the integrity of the sport. Belgian coach Rudi Garcia expressed his disbelief, making an "April Fool's Day" comparison. Balogun, who had scored three goals for the USA in the tournament, was allowed to play, leading to considerable debate about political influence in football.
The USA had been hoping to reach the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2002, while Belgium had not advanced this far since 2018 where they finished third. Despite the controversy, the Opta supercomputer had predicted a very close match, giving the USA a 37.2 percent likelihood of victory and Belgium a 36.5 percent chance, with a 26.3 percent probability of extra time. Belgium will now face either Portugal or Spain in the quarterfinals. This victory also extended Belgium's winning streak against the USA, having won their last six meetings since 1930, including a 5-2 friendly win in March.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the decision, stating that FIFA's judicial bodies operate autonomously and apply regulations based on specific facts. However, Belgium's appeal against Balogun's eligibility was denied, with the Royal Belgian Football Association expressing concerns about FIFA's process and noting that they were given only a few hours to complete their appeal, without receiving any explanation from FIFA regarding the initial decision. Prior to this match, the USA had defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 in the Round of 32.
