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Football in Congo is in chaos after FIFA threw the nation out of international matches. The shock ban means the Congo’s national team is out of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Morocco lead Group E and now face one less rival who they trashed 6-0 last June at Stade Adrar in Agadir. Ayoub El Kaabi claimed the match ball after netting a hat-trick.
FIFA suspended the Republic of Congo after the Congolese government stepped into football affairs, which breaks FIFA rules. The country’s Minister of Sports had set up a special committee to run the national football federation (FECOFOOT). And FIFA and CAF (Confederation of African Football) saw this as outside political interference.
Now, Congo are locked out of international games “until further notice.” That means no World Cup qualifiers and no club teams in African competitions. With Morocco leading the group, this suspension makes their path to the next round even smoother.
To lift the ban, the government must return full control of the national football federation’s offices, funds, and decisions to the right people. But until that happens, the country’s football dreams are on hold.
FIFA has also suspended Pakistan from international football with immediate effect. In announcing its decision, FIFA attributed the move to the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) refusing to approve new rules that would ensure fair and democratic elections. The PFF’s conduct means it is in violation of FIFA’s requirements, the organization argued.
These suspension shows FIFA won’t tolerate politics or breaching football rules, it stressed. Both countries can still get back to playing on international level the moment they fix their internal mess and stop letting politics mingle with sports.
