Rule 27 of FIFA Disciplinary Code was used to overturn the Flo Balogun suspension

The suspension of the suspension of U.S. striker Folarin Balogun has prompted an unprecedented uptick in online searches for the relevant provisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.

The key language comes from Article. 27, which gives FIFA wide discretion to "fully or partially suspend" any disciplinary measure.

Here's the full language of Article 27, titled "Suspension of Implementation of Disciplinary Measures":

1. The judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure.

2. By suspending the implementation of the sanction, the judicial body subjects the person sanctioned to a probationary period of one to four years.

3. If the person benefiting from a suspended sanction commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked by the judicial body and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.

4. Disciplinary measures relating to match manipulation cannot be suspended.

The Royal Belgian Football Association has responded by citing Article 66.4: "A sending-off automatically incurs suspension from the subsequent match. The FIFA judicial bodies may impose additional match suspensions and other disciplinary measures."

The RBFA also has pointed to Article 10.5 of FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations: "If a player or team official is sent off as a result of a direct or indirect red card (second caution), they will automatically be suspended from their team's subsequent match. In addition, further sanctions may be imposed."

However, the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations also say this, at Article 7.1: "Disciplinary infringements are dealt with in compliance with the FIFA Disciplinary Code in force as well as with all relevant circulars and directives, with which the Participating Member Associations and Delegation Members undertake to comply."

Thus, Article 10.5 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations takes a back seat to the Disciplinary Code. Still, FIFA's interpretation of the Disciplinary Code means that Article 66.4 is subject to Article 27 of the Disciplinary Code, even if the Disciplinary Code doesn't expressly address that wrinkle. (We've got a feeling that, at some point in the future, a revision aimed at codifying this result will be made.)

None of this changes the fact that, as of Friday, Balogun's suspension was supposedly final. As of Sunday, after President Trump called FIFA grand poobah Gianni Infantino, it suddenly wasn't.

Regardless of how it happened, with the FIFA Peace Prize winner reportedly giving the man who runs FIFA a piece of his mind, Rule 27 seems to allow the outcome — if, as FIFA necessarily has concluded, Article 27 of the Disciplinary Code supersedes Article 66.4.

The timing isn't ideal for either team. The U.S. was preparing to play without Balogun. Belgium was preparing to not face him. Now, some 30 hours before the game starts, he's back in play.