As the countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues, three nations have been officially ruled out of the qualifiers, effectively ending their hopes of competing in the prestigious tournament set to take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
While the qualification process is already in full swing across most confederations, UEFA is gearing up to commence its own campaign later this year. However, one notable absentee from the European qualifiers will be Russia, whose exclusion from all FIFA competitions remains in effect. The country was suspended in February 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine, and FIFA has opted to maintain this ban, ensuring that the 2018 World Cup hosts will not feature in the upcoming tournament.
In addition to Russia, Congo and Pakistan have now been barred from participating in the qualifiers, with FIFA enforcing immediate suspensions on both football federations.
FIFA Suspends Congo and Pakistan Over Governance Issues
The Congolese Football Association (FECOFOOT) has been suspended due to what FIFA describes as “third-party interference.” The governing body released an official statement outlining the reasons behind the decision:
“FECOFOOT has been suspended with immediate effect due to a particularly serious situation of undue interference by third parties in the affairs of the organization, which constitutes a clear violation of FECOFOOT’s obligations in accordance with the FIFA Statutes.”
FIFA further clarified that Congo’s ban will remain in place until specific conditions are met, including restoring FECOFOOT’s headquarters to the federation’s full control.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) faced suspension after failing to adopt a constitution approved by FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The global governing body stated:
“The suspension will only be lifted subject to the PFF Congress approving the version of the PFF Constitution presented by FIFA and the AFC.”
With these latest developments, both nations are now officially out of contention for a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Where Did Congo and Pakistan Stand Before Their Suspension?
Unlike Russia, which has only participated in friendly matches since its ban, Congo and Pakistan were actively competing in the World Cup qualifiers before their disqualification.
Congo struggled in the competition, losing all three of their opening matches in the first round of qualifiers. With zero points and sitting at the bottom of Group E, their chances of advancing were already minimal before the suspension was announced.
Pakistan, ranked 198th in the world, had already been eliminated from the qualification race after a disappointing campaign. The team finished last in their group, failing to secure a single point after suffering six consecutive defeats.
With FIFA’s suspension now in effect, any hope of a turnaround for these two nations has been officially extinguished. The road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup will continue without them as the qualifiers resume in March during the first international break of the year.
