World football governing body FIFA are preparing to host the 2026 World Cup in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico but three countries will not participate......CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>>>
FIFA is ready to improve on the success of the 2022 tournament in the Middle East by hosting it in North America for the first time since USA 1994.
Qualifying series are ongoing across the different confederations worldwide, each with their respective formats and are expected to be concluded in November 2025.
FIFA ban 3 countries from 2026 WC
According to a press statement by FIFA, the world football governing body has imposed restrictions on two countries ahead of the tournament regardless of the outcome of the qualifiers.
FIFA have banned Congo and Pakistan from participating at the tournament even if they qualify unless they follow laid down guidelines to lift theirs bans.
Congo was suspended due to a “particularly serious situation of undue interference by third parties in the affairs of the organisation, which constitutes a clear violation of FECOFOOT’s obligations in accordance with the FIFA Statutes.”
FIFA issued four guidelines for the ban to be lifted, with all geared towards returning total control of the country’s football affairs to the association with no interference.
The Pakistan Football Federation was suspended “due to its failure to adopt a revision of the PFF Constitution that would ensure truly fair and democratic elections and thereby fulfil its obligations as mandated by FIFA as part of the ongoing normalisation process of PFF.”
This suspension will only be lifted if the federation’s congress adopt the version of the constitution presented by FIFA and AFC.
Congo are currently bottom of Group in the ongoing CAF qualifying series and have a slim chance of qualifying, while Pakistan finished bottom of their group in the AFC series.
According to Give Me Sports, the third country banned is Russia, as FIFA are yet to lift their ban for invading Ukraine in 2022. The 2018 hosts remain sidelined having not played an official game since 2022.
Rwanda face World Cup uncertainty
Legit.ng reported that Rwanda face uncertainty ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with the country without a manager about a month to the start of the qualifier in March.
Former coach Franck Splitter’s contract expired after the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations where the Wasps fell short despite a final day 2-1 win over the Super Eagles.