FIFA perform dramatic U-turn on player banned from World Cup after ruling he was ineligible for 43 caps

A previously ineligible player will be cleared to play at the 2026 FIFA World Cup - if his team qualify for the tournament.

Former Middlesbrough and Birmingham forward Emilio Nsue was given a six-month ban from international football back in May 2024 after it was deemed that he was ineligible to play for Equatorial Guinea.

The Mallorca-born striker is his nation's leading goalscorer, with 21 goals, and had played in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup qualifiers without FIFA intervention.

But back in 2013, Nsue had been deemed ineligible after featuring in two 2014 World Cup qualifiers.

FIFA concluded that the forward had never received formal clearance to switch from Spain, as he had played 26 competitive games for Spain's youth teams until 2011.

They then denied a request for Nsue to change his eligibility in December 2013, but he continued to play for Equatorial Guinea despite being ineligible.

Their verdict last year meant that Equatorial Guinea had two 1-0 wins in 2026 World Cup qualifying removed from their record books, and they were both forfeited 3-0 instead. Nsue had played in both games and scored.

Had the two results stood, Equatorial Guinea would have been second in their CAF qualifying group - which would secure progression to the second round.

However, they are now down in fourth and must win both of their final games, and hope that rivals Liberia and Namibia - who they defeated in those now ineligible matches - drop points.

Perhaps ironically, Nsue will be available to play in their final matches.

FIFA have now cleared the forward to represent Equatorial Guinea, with the national federation's president Venancio Tomas Ndong Micha telling BBC Sport Africa: "After so many years, and months, we were able to show that Emilio was eligible and finally FIFA showed justice in this case."

The 35-year-old made his international comeback on Monday, scoring in a 1-1 draw against Cameroon.

Nsue spent four years in English football between 2014 and 2018, and now plays for Spanish fourth-tier side Intercity FC.