Belgium beats United States 4-1 after FIFA lifts Balogun World Cup ban
Belgium eliminated the United States in Seattle after FIFA reversed Folarin Balogun’s automatic suspension, as objections over the decision coincided with heavy crypto-linked World Cup betting and sponsorship activity.
Belgium beat the United States 4-1 in the World Cup round of 16 on July 6, 2026, in Seattle, with Charles De Ketelaere scoring twice and Hans Vanaken and Romelu Lukaku also finding the net. The match was overshadowed by FIFA’s decision to overturn the automatic one-match suspension for U.S. striker Folarin Balogun after his July 1 red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina, prompting failed objections from Belgian officials and wider criticism over the governing body’s disciplinary process. At the same time, the tournament highlighted crypto’s growing role in football through prediction markets, fan tokens, Kraken’s FIFA sponsorship and FIFA Collect on Avalanche, with reported World Cup-linked prediction-market volume topping $2 billion.
- Prediction markets: Platforms where users trade or wager on the outcome of real-world events, including sports matches.
- FIFA Collect: FIFA’s digital collectibles platform, which runs on Avalanche-based infrastructure and is used for tournament-related digital memorabilia.
- Fan tokens: Team-linked crypto tokens, often built on Chiliz, that typically offer limited voting perks such as input on merchandise or walkout songs.