tive but to challenge (Balogun's) eligibility for the upcoming match . The team said it learned of FIFA's decision through media reports and is asking for an explanation of the process and applicable regulations. As its only response, FIFA sent a letter to the RBFA stating that it considered this correspondence to constitute an appeal, that a judge had been appointed, and that the RBFA had only a few hours to complete that appeal. No information whatsoever was provided by FIFA, RBFA said, according to The Athletic. For an appeal to be admissible, FIFA's own regulations state that the reasoned decision must first have been communicated to the appellant. While the RBFA was merely seeking legitimate explanations, FIFA itself created an appeal and immediately ensured that it would be declared inadmissible. All of this occurred while FIFA simultaneously refused to respond to the RBFA's legitimate requests … To be clear, as of this moment, the RBFA has still not received any decision or any explanation from FIFA regarding this matter. It therefore has no alternative but to challenge the player's eligibility for the upcoming match. Belgium and the U.S. face off at 8pm ET (5PM PT) at Lumen Field in Seattle. 2026 Cox Media Group