Over the years, African football has seen several countries punished with points deductions or sanctions during FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The latest incident came in 2025 when South Africa were penalized for fielding an ineligible player against Lesotho.
Such punishments, ranging from fielding suspended players to administrative blunders, have often shaped the qualification journeys of teams, sometimes crushing dreams of reaching the global stage.
Here are eight African countries that have been hit with FIFA sanctions and how it affected their campaigns.
1. Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers collapsed after FIFA discovered that Emilio Nsue, who had previously represented Spain at youth level, played without completing a nationality switch.
The team had to forfeit games, lost valuable points, and paid fines—ending their hopes of advancing beyond the second round.
2. Sudan
In 2012, Sudan were stripped of three points in the 2014 qualifiers after fielding Saif Ali, who was suspended.
What was initially a victory over Zambia was overturned into a 3-0 defeat, giving their rivals the upper hand in a tight group. The punishment left Sudan’s World Cup dreams in tatters.
3. Ethiopia
Ethiopia faced a three-point deduction in the 2014 qualifiers for using Minyahil Teshome while he was suspended.
At the time, Ethiopia topped their group, and the sanction nearly derailed their campaign. Despite the setback, they managed to reach the playoff stage, keeping their qualification bid alive.
4. Togo
Togo’s 2014 qualifiers took a huge hit when FIFA sanctioned them for fielding Alaixys Romao, who should have been suspended.
The points from their win over Cameroon were handed back to the Indomitable Lions with a 3-0 result. The blow effectively ended Togo’s already slim chances of progressing.
5. Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso were docked three points during the 2014 qualifiers after an ineligible player featured in their game against Congo.
Although they still showed flashes of quality, the distraction and fines undermined their campaign and stalled their push for a maiden World Cup appearance.
6. Gabon
Gabon’s qualification run in 2014 also suffered a major setback when FIFA deducted points for fielding an ineligible player.
The punishment handed their opponents a 3-0 win and snuffed out Gabon’s chances of advancing in a difficult group that included Morocco.
7. Nigeria
The Super Eagles were not spared either. In 2017, Nigeria fielded Shehu Abdullahi in a qualifier against Algeria despite his suspension.
Though the game ended 1-1, FIFA awarded Algeria a 3-0 win. Fortunately for Nigeria, the sanction did not derail their campaign: they had already sealed qualification for the 2018 World Cup.
8. South Africa
In March 2025, South Africa fielded Teboho Mokoena in a 2-0 win over Lesotho despite his ineligibility.
FIFA overturned the result into a 3-0 loss, docked them three points, and imposed a CHF 10,000 fine. The punishment dropped Bafana Bafana below Benin Republic in Group C, making their road to 2026 qualification much tougher.
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