Three Countries Banned From Playing at 2026 World Cup
Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be contested in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, FIFA has suspended the football associations of two additional nations in addition to the already-banned Russia because of “serious circumstances.”
The next edition of the world’s largest international competition, which is watched by people all over the world, will take place in the summer of 2026. Argentina, led by Lionel Scaloni, will be attempting to retain their title as world champions.
Next year, teams like France, England (now under the new manager Thomas Tuchel), and Spain, the winners of Euro 2024, will try to unseat La Albiceleste, although a trio of nations are prohibited from playing.
FIFA and UEFA joined forces last year to enforce a rule that has prohibited Russia from competing in international tournaments until the upcoming World Cup in North America. The ban was put in place after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
FIFA has now suspended the football federations of Pakistan and Congo with immediate effect owing to “serious circumstances” ahead of the much-anticipated competition, thereby prohibiting both countries from competing going forward.
The Congolese Football Association, often known as FECOFOOT, has been suspended for allegedly violating FIFA’s current laws by allowing outside parties to meddle in its activities. According to a FIFA statement:
Due to a particularly significant instance of third parties interfering excessively in the organization’s business, which is a blatant breach of FECOFOOT’s responsibilities under the FIFA Statutes, FECOFOOT has been suspended with immediate effect. Following the deployment of two FIFA/CAF missions to Brazzaville, the decision was made after consulting with CAF.
FIFA is willing to withdraw the ban provided several requirements are fulfilled between now and 2026, including giving FECOFOOT complete control of the federation’s headquarters and other facilities. This may be a bright spot for Congo.
The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has been suspended for failing to enact a constitutional amendment that would guarantee “truly fair and democratic elections.”
FIFA has banned the PFF before because of third-party involvement, which prevented them from competing in 2017 and 2021. After PFF asserted that it had restored complete control of their property and money, the latter suspension was removed in June 2022.
“The suspension will only be lifted subject to the PFF Congress approving the version of the PFF Constitution presented by FIFA and the AFC,” a FIFA statement said on Pakistan’s ban.
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In the CAF qualification section, Congo is currently at the bottom of Group E. However, Stephen Constantine’s team finished at the bottom of Group G in the AFC qualifying round, meaning that Pakistan’s group is already over.
