FIFA Forced Nation to Forfeit Crucial World Cup Qualifier After Suspension

FIFA forced a nation to forfeit a crucial World Cup qualifier after banning them from participating in international competition.

In the event of any government interference in a nation's football association, FIFA are forced to step in and have been known to suspend said country from playing.

It happened with both Pakistan and Congo in a similar timeframe and ahead of the 2018 World Cup, the Kuwait Football Association were banned.

In AFC qualifying for the showpiece, the Gulf State had taken 10 points after winning three and drawing one.

But the suspension , which came when they were second in Group G, meant they were prohibited from playing their remaining three fixtures - away games against Myanmar and South Korea and a home clash vs Laos.

FIFA issued the suspension, which resulted in three 3-0 forfeits. Image: Getty

All three games were awarded as 3-0 defeats, which meant they finished a point behind second placed Lebanon and also missed out on the 2019 Asian Cup qualifiers.

This was the third instance that FIFA suspended Kuwait due to failure to comply with regulations but in December 2017, the governing body confirmed that the suspension had been lifted thanks to the legal reforms made.

A statement confirmed that "the Kuwait Parliament has adopted a new Sports Law of Kuwait, which replaces all the previous ones and has been amended in order to be fully compliant with the FIFA Statutes and requirements."

FIFA hands 3-0 forfeits ahead of 2026 World Cup

Shortly after, Kuwait, who had a sole appearance in the World Cup in 1982, hosted the Gulf Cup shortly after they were allowed to resume.

Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, FIFA officially imposed two 3-0 forfeits to Equatorial Guinea over the use of ineligible player who is actually their record goalscorer.

Former Middlesbrough and Birmingham forward Emilio Nsue scored the winning goals in games against Namibia and Liberia but was hit by a six-month ban from international football after it was ruled the Spain youth international had not been formally cleared to play for the African side.

Emilio Nsue was the cause of the two 3-0 forfeits. Image: Getty

Nsue was cleared to play upon a successful appeal for African football governing body Feguifut, but Equatorial Guinea were not able to win back the points after Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed the case.

CAS' statement read: "Since the appeal is directed solely at FIFA and does not name the NFA and LFA as co-respondents, the panel concludes that the appeal must be dismissed."