Belgium Appeals Folarin Balogun's Red Card Ban Suspension

The Folarin Balogun drama is far from over -- Belgium was granted a last-minute appeal after the USMNT star's one-game FIFA World Cup ban was suspended on Sunday.

Both America and Belgium were asked to submit their arguments to a FIFA appeals committee by 5 AM on Monday ... hours before the two sides are slated to play a Round of 16 matchup in Seattle, according to The Athletic.

Despite the appeal being granted, Belgium is reportedly pissed about the quick deadline ... as the initial decision was not publicized.

The individual chosen to hear the case will have no affiliation with FIFA, UEFA, or CONCACAF, per the outlet.

It's been a roller coaster of a 24 hours for Balogun -- he woke up Sunday morning thinking he was out of the USA's crucial contest after receiving a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday.

Then came the reports that Balogun's automatic punishment would be shelved as officials looked into the controversial red card further -- making him available for Monday's date with Belgium.

President Donald Trump got involved and made a call to FIFA president Gianni Infantino ... and he celebrated the end result with a social media post, calling the initial move a "great injustice."

But now folks are wondering if the whole thing is a bad look for FIFA since the U.S. is one of the host countries ... and former honcho Sepp Blatter spoke out against it, saying, "Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence, and independent bodies."

"If a U.S. President intervenes with the FIFA President -- and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match -- the question is unavoidable: Quo vadis, FIFA?"