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FIFA Bans Russia and Congo from the 2026 World Cup.

Sports | Dated: 08 Mar 2025

In March 2025, Zurich (Switzerland)-based International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), the global governing body of football, banned Russia and Congo from participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States of America (USA), Canada, and Mexico.

🎯 Key Highlights:

- The 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup will feature 104 matches played across 16 cities in the three host nations from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
- The Russian Football Union (RFU) has been banned from FIFA and Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) competitions since 2022 due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
- Congo was excluded from the tournament due to unlawful third-party interference in the management of the Congolese Football Federation (FECOFOOT).

💡 Other Important Facts:

(i) FIFA had earlier banned Pakistan from participating in the tournament. However, the ban was lifted after necessary governance reforms were implemented, allowing Pakistan to participate in the 2027 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup qualifiers.
(ii) Due to the exclusion of these nations, FIFA has redistributed the available spots in the expanded 48-team format. Europe now has 16 slots (up from 13), Africa has secured 10 additional slots, and Asia has secured 9 qualification spots.
(iii) Since 1950, FIFA has banned 17 countries, including Germany, Japan, South Africa, Mexico, and Chile, for violations of its regulations.

📚 Test Your Knowledge:

Recently, which international football governing body banned Russia and Congo from the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

Correct Answer: FIFA

🚀 Quick Recap:

About Congo

President : Felix Tshisekedi
Capital : Kinshasa