FIFA has made a major decision regarding the participation of Congo-Brazzaville in the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup. In an official statement released on May 14, the global football governing body confirmed that the suspension of the Congolese Football Association (FECOFOOT) has been lifted, potentially allowing the African nation to rejoin the qualification process.
The 2026 World Cup, set to kick off in just over a year, will be hosted across three North American nations: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. It will be the first time the tournament features 48 teams instead of the traditional 32, creating more opportunities for countries from all six football confederations to take part.
So far, only seven nations have officially booked their places in the tournament: the three host countries, along with New Zealand, Japan, Iran, and Argentina. The remaining 41 spots will be determined over the next several months, with final qualification expected to wrap up by the end of March 2026.
Background: Why was Congo suspended?
Congo-Brazzaville’s road to the World Cup had been halted earlier this year. Back in February, FIFA suspended FECOFOOT due to third-party interference in its operations—an act that goes against FIFA’s strict regulations on national football associations’ autonomy. The interference disrupted internal governance and led to FIFA postponing Congo’s scheduled March qualifiers against Tanzania and Zambia.
However, after months of monitoring the situation, FIFA announced that the necessary conditions to lift the suspension have now been met. The official statement read:
“The Bureau of the FIFA Council decided on 14 May 2025 to lift the suspension that was imposed on the Congolese Football Association (FECOFOOT) on 6 February 2025. The decision was taken after the conditions requested by the Bureau to lift the suspension had been met, including the return of full control of the FECOFOOT headquarters, the Ignié Technical Centre, and the association’s other facilities to the FECOFOOT Executive Committee led by Jean-Guy Blaise Mayolas and his administration.”
This announcement reopens the door for Congo-Brazzaville to participate in the qualification campaign. However, their path to the World Cup remains an uphill battle. The team currently sits at the bottom of their qualifying group, and it is unclear when the postponed matches against Tanzania and Zambia will be rescheduled.
The remainder of Congo’s qualification campaign includes four more group-stage matches, slated for September and October 2025. Should they miraculously climb the standings, they would also need to go through the African play-offs scheduled for November.
While qualifying for the 2026 World Cup is still a long shot for Congo-Brazzaville, the lifting of their suspension represents a vital first step toward restoring their presence in international football. With just over a year to go before the tournament begins, every game will now count more than ever for the team’s hopes of making it to North America.
