Here are the List of countries banned by FIFA over third-party influence

The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) created furore after taking the decision to ban the All India Football Federation (AIFF) over its third-party interference. Well, India isn’t the only country to face the ban by FIFA. Regardless of whether it is the government of those countries or a private entity, FIFA follows a strict policy toward third parties interfering with football. Here’s a list of some countries that have also been sanctioned by FIFA due to third-party interference.

List of countries banned by FIFA over third-party influence

List of Countries Suspended by FIFA Due to ‘Third-Party Interference’

List of countries banned by FIFA over third-party influence

Iraq (2008 & 2009)

Iraq is one of the powerhouses in the middle-east. Despite their stature in Asian football, they were banned by FIFA in 2008 due to Iraqi government interference. In 2008, Iraq dissolved its National Olympic Committee and National Sports Federations, leading FIFA to ban them.

Despite escaping the FIFA sanctions in 2008, Iraq were banned again in 2009. In response to the dissolution of the Iraqi Football Federation by the Iraqi Olympic Committee, FIFA imposed a ban on Iraq. Iraq’s female team, however, received an exception from FIFA. 

Brunei (2009)

FIFA suspended the Football Association of Brunei (BAFA) due to government interference in its affairs.”It started with a decision by the Brunei authorities to dissolve BAFA and to replace it with a new federation in December 2008,” FIFA said in a statement.

Nigeria (2014)

FIFA suspended the Guatemalan Football Federation (FEDEFUT,) in a fight over the powers given to its appointed oversight committee to look into allegations of corruption. FEDEFUT did not recognise the committee had said in a statement its suspension was due to its federation’s members’ refusal to allow an election for a new executive committee.

Indonesia (2015)

FIFA imposed a ban on Indonesia after its government abolished the Football Association in 2015 and replaced it with its own committee. Indonesia was given until May 29 to resolve the problem but when the deadline passed, FIFA’s executive committee invoked the suspension.

Guatemala (2016)

FIFA decided to ban Guatemala in October 2016 after the Directors of the Football Federation declined to recognize the committee saying it is against the country’s laws. It took two years for Gautamela to lift the ban. The said directors claimed that it was against the regulations of country’s governing body.

List of countries banned by FIFA over third-party influence

Benin (2016)

Fifa suspended the Benin Football Federation (FBF) from global football after the intervention of a judicial body in the country blocked upcoming elections of the Federation. “The Benin Football Association (FBF) was suspended with immediate effect due to a recent injunction by a local judicial court which impeded the holding of the due election,” read the official statement.

Pakistan (2017)

In October 2017, Pakistan was banned by FIFA from competing in international competitions due to “undue third-party interference.” This was after PFF’s offices and accounts were under the control of a court-appointed administrator, which violated FIFA’s statutes.

Chad (2021)

Chad was disqualified from the Africa Cup of Nations after quarrels between the sports ministry and the football federation led the government to set up a new committee to manage the sport by presidential decree. The government interference led to a ‘third-party intervention’ violation as per the FIFA Statutes leading to the suspension.

Kenya (2022)

In February 2022, FIFA suspended the Football Kenya Federation (KFK) because of government intervention in the body’s operation, citing ‘third-party interference’ as a violation of its statutes. Kenya’s Sports ministry disbanded the KFK after allegations of misappropriation of funds and a caretaker committee was appointed in November 2021 – something that went against the rulebook of football’s apex body.

Zimbabwe (2022)

FIFA banned Zimbabwe in February 2022 after the Zimbabwean FA (ZIFA) was suspended by the country’s government-appointed Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC). The SRC intervened after allegations of sexual harassment of female referees by technical staff and allegations of fraud within ZIFA.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

More like this

Global Football Extravaganza: Major Tournament Hosts from 2025 to 2035

Global Football Extravaganza: Major Footbal Tournament Hosts from 2025...

The global football landscape is constantly evolving, with major tournaments requiring meticulous planning years in advance. Football’s...

EA FC25 Marco Asensio UCL Dreamchasers SBC: Unlock the...

As the UCL Dreamchasers promo approaches its final curtain, EA FC25 or EA Sports has dropped a...

A List of the Top Richest Man in Trivandrum...

Top Richest Man in Trivandrum as of 2025 - All You Need to Know Kerala's largest city and...

Top 10 Football Players with Most Trophies in History

Top 10 Players with Most Trophies in Football History: In the world of football, lifting trophies is...
Indian Footballers Who Played Football in Foreign Clubs

TOP 5 Indian Footballers Who Played Football in Foreign...

TOP 5 Indian Footballers Who Played Football in Foreign Clubs: Football is a universal passion that captivates...

LATEST NEWS

IPL 2025: SRH vs GT – Preview, Prediction, Starting XI and Where To Watch The Match LIVE

Sunrisers Hyderabad are set to take on Gujarat Titans in Match 19 of IPL 2025 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on...

IPL 2025: Archer, Sandeep and RR Batters Fire to Hand PBKS First Loss

Yashasvi Jaiswal piling on the runs. Jofra Archer carrying forward the rhythm he rediscovered against Chennai Super Kings. Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga finding...

ISL 2024-25 Semifinal: FC Goa vs Bengaluru FC – Preview, Prediction and Where To Watch The Match LIVE

FC Goa are set to welcome Bengaluru FC to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa for the second leg of their Indian Super League...

Top 5 Footballers Who Played for Both Manchester United and Manchester City

In this blog post, we’ll explore the fascinating stories of footballers who played for Manchester United and Manchester City. We’ll focus on primary keywords...

Featured