How an Airline Made Folarin Balogun Eligible to Play for the USA in the 2026 FIFA World Cup

The circumstances that allowed Nigerian‑born Folarin Balogun to play for the United States national football team have recently come to light.

The Monaco striker netted two goals for the U.S. Men’s National Team in the 4‑1 victory over Paraguay at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Balogun is eligible to represent the USMNT because he was born in the United States 24 years ago. His U.S. citizenship was an unexpected outcome, according to his mother, Florence, who explained the situation in an interview with ESPN.

Florence, as quoted by ESPN, had traveled from London to the United States while seven months pregnant with Balogun. When she tried to return to London from New York, the airline refused to let her board because of her pregnancy, which led to her giving birth to her son in Brooklyn, New York.

Within a month of his birth, Florence brought baby Folarin back to London and enrolled him in the Arsenal academy when he was eight years old. He rose through the ranks of the Premier League champions, represented England up to the U‑21 level, and occasionally played for U.S. youth teams.

In 2023, he chose to join the USMNT and was given the task by coach Mauricio Pochettino to lead the attack in the win over Paraguay.