The USMNT has no route to appeal the red card issued to Folarin Balogun in Wednesday's round-of-32 win against Bosnia and Herzegovina, sources have told ESPN, meaning the forward will miss the World Cup round-of-16 clash against Belgium.
And Balogun could yet face an extended suspension if FIFA's disciplinary panel regarded his challenge on Bosnia's Tarik Muharemovic as warranting more than the automatic one-match ban issued with World Cup red cards.
Qatar midfielder Assim Madibo had his one-match ban for a red card extended to five games by FIFA after Canada's Ismaël Koné suffered a broken leg in a challenge during the Group B tie earlier in the tournament, but sources have said no decision has yet been made as to whether to review the length of Balogun's suspension.
Article 66.4 in the FIFA disciplinary code states "if a player or team official is sent off as a result of a direct or indirect red card [for a second yellow card], they will automatically be suspended from their team's subsequent match."
Rule 10.5 also specifies that further penalties can be added, but FIFA sources have said that there is no route to appeal a red card at the tournament.
Sources added that the VAR review is regarded as the first appeal of an incident as offences are immediately reviewed by the match officials.
Balogun, 24, is the United States' leading scorer in the tournament so far with three goals for Mauricio Pochettino's team, including the opener in the 2-0 win against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara.
But a red card issued by Brazilian referee Raphael Claus in the 64th minute following a VAR review of a challenge on Muharemovic has triggered an automatic one-match suspension.
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Claus's decision has been widely criticised, with Pochettino saying it was "never a red card" and that the challenge was a result of a "normal action in football."
Despite Pochettino's anger at the decision to dismiss Balogun, Muharemovic did require lengthy on-field treatment after being caught by Balogun's studs on his ankle and Achilles tendon.
The U.S. face Belgium in Seattle on Monday aiming to secure a place in the quarterfinals.