World Cup: Will Folarin Balogun play in USA's next game after a VAR red card?

Florian Balogun was at the center of a controversial call in Wednesday's match between the U.S. and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Here's what Balogun's red card means for the United States going forward.

Big picture view:

Balogun was issued a red card for contact he made with a Bosnian player in the second half of Wednesday's game. 

Balogun was competing for a ball with Bosnian and Herzegovina's center back Tarik Muharemovic. Balogun attempted to play the ball and stepped on Muharemovic's ankle while he was falling toward the ground. 

The contact was reviewed by Brazilian referee Raphael Claus and ruled to be worth a red card.

This is bad news for the U.S. Men's National Team, and for Balogun.

When a player receives a red card, it means two things. The first is the player receiving the red card is ejected from the match. This means Balogun's day is done, and the U.S. will continue on with 10 players.

Bosnia and Herzegovina would continue playing at full strength with 11 players.

The player receiving a red card will also miss the team's next game, no matter what round it is. 

This means Balogun will be out for the USMNT's next match. It's a difficult blow for the U.S., as Balogun has arguably been the best player for the Americans.

The backstory:

Red cards are usually issued when a player does something outright serious. Examples of this are a dangerous foul, violent conduct, spitting, biting, offensive language or denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity. 

For the 2026 World Cup, the International Football Association Board approved two FIFA-proposed law amendments.

According to the rule changes, players who cover their mouths to conceal discriminatory behavior in confrontational situations can be shown a red card.

This rule, while controversial, comes after concerns over players hiding what they say during heated on-field exchanges.

The IFAB also approved issuing of red cards for players who leave the pitch in protest of a referee’s decision. Team officials who encourage players to leave the field can also be sent off.

What they're saying:

Balogun's red card wasn't just a bitter pill to swallow for the Americans, it was also controversial.

At the moment, the play was whistled as a normal foul. The referee used VAR to review the play, and issued Balogun a red card. This sent Americans and U.S. soccer fans in an uproar.

The argument from fans was that Balogun was making a play on the ball. There was contact which could have warranted a yellow card for incidental contact. Instead, the referee sent Balogun off.

The United States was without its best offensive player.

What's next:

The United States moves on to the round of 16 with a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

They'll need to win that game without Balogun, who will miss that game on Monday in Seattle vs. Belgum due to the red card.