Congo to resume World Cup 2026 qualifiers after missing two matches with FIFA ban
Congo will be allowed to continue participating in the World Cup qualifiers despite missing two fixtures in March when it was banned, world football's governing body FIFA said on Wednesday.
Congo (not DR Congo, which is separate country in Central Africa) was suspended from February to May because of government interference in the running of its football association (FECOFOOT) but the ban was lifted when officials returned to their positions and were handed back access to the headquarters and technical training centre.
Sports minister Hugues Ngouelondele had appointed an ad-hoc committee last year to run the association, claiming it needed to sort out disputes among association office bearers, but FIFA suspended FECOFOOT due to third-party interference, which violates its statutes.
Which are the matches Congo missed in FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers Congo?
During the ban, Congo were not allowed to participate in any international competition, which meant it could not play 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Tanzania and Niger in March.
What is the result of those matches?
According to FIFA rules, the points from those fixtures were forfeited and a 3-0 victory awarded to Tanzania and Niger, respectively.
What are Congo's upcoming matches in FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers?
Congo is scheduled to play Tanzania at home in September and conclude its fixtures in October with matches at Niger and Morocco.
Can Congo still qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026?
Congo has no points in the group yet, which Morocco lead with 15 points, six more than Tanzania in second place. The group winner qualifies for next year's World Cup in North America while the runner-up has a possibility to participate in playoffs if they are among the four best second-placed teams in the nine African qualifying groups.
Congo will continue in the qualifiers when they resume in September, even if they have no chance of qualifying. Congo was African champion in 1972 but have never been to a World Cup.
Which other countries have received similar FIFA bans due to government interference?
FIFA has taken a hard line on government interference in football matters with the likes of Chad, Kenya, Pakistan and Zimbabwe among those banned in recent years.
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