The U.S. men's national team will feature star striker Folarin Balogun in their starting lineup against Belgium on Monday night in the World Cup round of 16. This comes after a one-game suspension, initially imposed for a red card received on July 1, was put on hold by FIFA.

Balogun was issued a red card during the match against Bosnia-Herzegovina following a second-half clash with an opposing player. The automatic penalty resulted in a one-game suspension. Initially, FIFA stated the decision was final and not subject to appeal.

However, FIFA announced on Sunday that the implementation of Balogun's match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year. The governing body added that if Balogun commits a similar offense during this period, the original suspension will be enforced along with any new sanctions.

The Royal Belgium Football Association (RBFA) expressed astonishment at FIFA's decision in a statement released Sunday. The RBFA indicated they are exploring all possible avenues to address the ruling, emphasizing the need to safeguard the rights of all participating teams and uphold fair play.

UEFA, Europe's soccer governing body, also commented on the situation Monday, stating that red card suspensions are a fundamental principle embedded in regulations and should not be subject to exceptions, particularly mid-tournament. UEFA conveyed disbelief at what they described as an unprecedented and unjustifiable decision.

U.S. men's national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino had previously indicated that Balogun was upset by the red card call, which occurred in a match the U.S. won 2-0, their first knockout round victory in the World Cup since 2002. Pochettino reportedly stated that the clash was not intentional.

The U.S. team has shown strong performance in the current tournament, finishing the group stage with a 2-1 record. Their best historical performance in the World Cup was a third-place finish in 1930. The decision to allow Balogun to play against Belgium remains a significant talking point ahead of the crucial knockout stage match.