FIFA’s shock sanction: Two 3-0 forfeits crush nation’s 2026 World Cup dream

FIFA has imposed a decision that has completely reshaped one group in the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, costing one nation the chance to reach soccer’s biggest stage.

FIFA has imposed a decision that has completely reshaped one group in the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, costing one nation the chance to reach soccer’s biggest stage. What began as a technical dispute over player eligibility has now turned into one of the most controversial rulings of this qualification cycle — and it might have permanently ended this nation’s hopes of making history.

Qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is currently unfolding across six continents and has already been marked by controversy. FIFA has suspended federations, disqualified teams, and even seen entire countries withdraw before a ball was kicked. But this case is different. It revolves around two matches that were actually won on the pitch — only to be overturned months later, leaving the players and supporters stunned.

The nation at the heart of the storm is Equatorial Guinea, which was seen as one of the favorites to progress from Group H, where they were drawn alongside Tunisia, Namibia, Liberia, Malawi, and Sao Tome and Principe.

In November 2023, they secured crucial 1-0 victories against Namibia and Liberia, results that would have sent them through to the second round as group runners-up. The hero of both matches was captain and record goalscorer Emilio Nsue, a former Middlesbrough and Birmingham City forward, who netted the winner in each game.

Six months later, FIFA dropped a bombshell: both results were wiped out and replaced with 3-0 defeats by forfeit. The reason? Nsue was ruled an ineligible player at the time of the matches.

The player at the center of the storm

What makes this case unusual is that Nsue is far from a new face. The 35-year-old is Equatorial Guinea’s all-time top scorer, with 22 goals, and has been a key part of their national team for over a decade.

The dispute stretches back to 2013, when FIFA first declared him ineligible after he had already represented Spain at youth level, including their U21 side. Although Nsue later switched allegiance and played over 40 games for Equatorial Guinea — including at three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments — FIFA argued he had never received the proper paperwork to finalize his change of nationality.

FIFA eventually cleared Nsue to play in March 2024 after the Equatoguinean FA (Feguifut) proved that anyone born to a parent from the country is automatically a citizen, but the clearance did not apply retroactively.

CAS confirms FIFA’s decision

Following the sanctions, Feguifut appealed to have their six points reinstated — a move that would have put them back into contention for a potential play-off place. However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed the appeal on procedural grounds.

“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,” CAS stated in its July 28 verdict, which was only made public last Thursday, as per BBC Sport.

FIFA, for its part, argued that the punishment was already lenient: “FIFA could have imposed the exclusion from the ongoing World Cup qualifiers due to the seriousness of the breaches,” the governing body said.

What it means for Group H

The ruling leaves Namibia in second place with 15 points, four clear of Liberia and five ahead of Equatorial Guinea and Malawi with just two qualifiers left. Tunisia has already won the group and sealed its automatic World Cup berth, meaning Equatorial Guinea’s path to the play-offs is effectively blocked.

Instead of celebrating what would have been a historic step towards their first-ever World Cup, Equatorial Guinea must now watch from the sidelines as their rivals battle for the last available spot.