FIFA has officially suspended Congo-Brazzaville from all international football activities due to external interference in the management of the country’s football federation, Fecofoot. The global football body, in collaboration with the Confederation of African Football (CAF), described the situation as a “particularly serious” violation of FIFA’s statutes.
The suspension follows FIFA’s findings that undue influence has compromised Fecofoot’s independence. Specifically, concerns were raised over external attempts to alter the federation’s financial signatories and interfere with its headquarters’ operations. FIFA has set strict conditions for lifting the suspension, including restoring full control of Fecofoot’s administrative and financial functions.
FIFA and CAF had previously sent two joint missions to Brazzaville to assess the governance crisis, but with no resolution in sight, football’s governing bodies opted for the drastic measure.
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The suspension has immediate consequences for Congo-Brazzaville’s participation in international competitions, notably their upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Tanzania and Zambia in March. The Red Devils already sit at the bottom of Group E, having failed to secure any points after FIFA’s disciplinary panel awarded Niger a 3-0 victory due to Congo’s no-show at a scheduled match last year.
That match, originally set to take place in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, was moved because Congo-Brazzaville lacked a FIFA-approved stadium. However, the team refused to travel, arguing that a venue in Brazzaville was fit to host the fixture.
For FIFA to lift the ban, Congolese authorities must address governance concerns and ensure that Fecofoot operates independently, free from external interference. Until then, Congo’s football future remains uncertain, and the suspension threatens to derail the national team’s competitive engagements.
