Congo return to world football after FIFA suspension lifted

FIFA has lifted the suspension imposed on the Congo Brazzaville Football Federation (FECOFOOT) due to government interference. The world football governing body decided to lift the suspension after the FECOFOOT executive committee was reinstated on Tuesday, May 13.

FECOFOOT had been suspended from world football due to third-party interference in the affairs of the country’s football association. As a result, Congo missed their March 2026 FIFA World Cup Africa qualifier matches against Tanzania and Zambia. They were also disqualified from the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.

In an official statement, FIFA said that FECOFOOT has met all the conditions required for the suspension to be lifted:

Blaise Mayolas and his team regained access to the FECOFOOT headquarters earlier this week, after being denied use of the facility for the past eight months. According to ADIC Congo, a spokesperson for the executive committee, Victor Magloire Nganguia, expressed his gratitude to the government of Congo.

Congo is now fully reinstated in world football.