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The FIFA World Cup is often presented as a tournament that brings countries together through football.

However, politics, war, international sanctions and government interference have repeatedly affected which nations are allowed to participate.

Over the years, several countries have been prevented from taking part in the World Cup or its qualifying process because of political conflicts or actions involving their governments.

Here are seven notable examples.

1. South Africa

South Africa is one of the clearest examples of politics influencing World Cup participation.

FIFA suspended the country in 1961 because of its apartheid system, which enforced racial segregation. The suspension was later reinstated, and South Africa was expelled from FIFA in 1976.

The country’s exclusion lasted for several World Cup cycles until it was readmitted in 1992, following the dismantling of apartheid. South Africa eventually returned to the World Cup in 1998 and hosted the tournament in 2010.

2. Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia was prevented from playing at the 1994 World Cup because of international sanctions imposed during the Yugoslav Wars.

The United Nations imposed sanctions on Yugoslavia that included a prohibition on participation in international sporting events. As a result, the country was removed from the 1994 World Cup despite having a strong football tradition.

The political break-up of Yugoslavia eventually resulted in several independent football nations, including Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

3. Russia

Russia is the most prominent modern example of a country excluded from the World Cup because of an international political and military conflict.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, FIFA and UEFA suspended Russian national teams and clubs from international competitions.

The suspension prevented Russia from taking part in the 2022 World Cup play-offs and also kept the country out of the qualification process for the 2026 tournament. Russia remains suspended from FIFA and UEFA competitions.

4. Germany

Germany was excluded from the 1950 World Cup in Brazil following the Second World War.

The country had been defeated in the war just five years earlier, and its football association was not part of FIFA at the time of the tournament.

Germany therefore missed the first World Cup held after the war, before returning to the competition in 1954.

5. Japan

Japan was also excluded from the 1950 World Cup in the aftermath of the Second World War.

Like Germany, Japan had been on the losing side of the conflict and was not permitted to participate in the tournament.

Japan eventually returned to international football and made its World Cup debut in 1998.

6. Indonesia

Indonesia was prevented from continuing in the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign after FIFA suspended its football association over government interference.

FIFA requires national football associations to operate independently from political authorities. Indonesia’s football association was suspended in 2015 after the Indonesian government intervened in its affairs.

The suspension was eventually lifted in 2016 after the dispute was resolved, but Indonesia had already been removed from the 2018 qualifying process.

7. Kuwait

Kuwait’s national team was also affected by political interference in football administration.

FIFA suspended the Kuwait Football Association in 2015 after the country’s government introduced legislation that FIFA considered incompatible with its rules on the independence of national football associations.

The suspension meant Kuwait could not complete its 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign. The ban was lifted in December 2017 after changes were made to Kuwait’s sports legislation.

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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has appointed its Deputy General Secretary, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, as acting General Secretary following the resignation of Dr Mohammed Sanusi.

Ikpeme is expected to officially assume office on Friday, August 28, 2026, after Sanusi resigned amid a major leadership shake-up at the football governing body.

The appointment was made to ensure continuity in its day-to-day operations pending the next phase of the federation’s administrative process.

The development comes as FIFA has invited Nigeria to Zurich, according to sources, who did not disclose further details about the purpose of the invitation.

Ikpeme will oversee the NFF Secretariat and coordinate its daily activities while the federation awaits further developments regarding the proposed Normalisation Committee to be named by the National Sports Commission (NSC).

His appointment comes as the NFF faces a major leadership crisis following the resignation of President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, Sanusi and, reportedly, all members of the federation’s Executive Committee.

Gusau and Sanusi resigned on Thursday against the backdrop of growing public dissatisfaction with the performances of Nigeria’s national teams.

Gusau, who was elected NFF president at the Annual General Assembly of Nigerian Football in Benin City, Edo State, on September 30, 2022, stepped down 34 days before the end of his four-year tenure.

At a press conference at the NFF Secretariat in Abuja, Gusau said he had consulted his family, friends and stakeholders in the football community before deciding to resign.

He said his decision was taken in the overriding interest of Nigerian football.

“My resignation is intended to give way to a comprehensive and orderly reform process aimed at addressing the longstanding institutional, governance and developmental challenges confronting Nigerian football,” Gusau said.

Gusau, who also served as President of the West African Football Union (WAFU) Zone B, said he was leaving office satisfied with some of the achievements recorded under his administration.

He highlighted the increased focus on coaching education, noting that coaching courses had been organised across virtually all licence categories, while the long-awaited CAF A-License course was scheduled to begin on September 13.

He also cited improvements in the domestic league calendar and refereeing, as well as the construction of a 68-room players’ hostel and new training pitches at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja.

The outgoing NFF president further pointed to Nigeria’s silver and bronze medals at the last two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and the Super Falcons’ victory at the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

However, his administration came under increasing pressure following a series of disappointing results involving Nigeria’s national teams.

The Super Falcons recently failed to qualify for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, ending Nigeria’s participation in every edition of the tournament since it began in China in 1991.

The setback followed the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which was held in the United States, Canada and Mexico

Nigeria’s U-20 men’s team also failed to qualify for the next Africa U-20 Cup of Nations.

The string of disappointing results intensified calls for changes within the NFF and prompted the federation to consider broader reforms to its administration.

The development also comes as the federation awaits further decisions from the National Sports Commission on the proposed Normalisation Committee.

With Gusau, Sanusi and other NFF officials exiting, Ikpeme is now expected to provide administrative continuity at the federation while the next phase of Nigerian football’s leadership transition unfolds.

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Two-time defending champions Paris Saint-Germain were handed meetings with Barcelona, Manchester City and Aston Villa among their eight matches in the league phase of this season’s Champions League, as the draw took place on Thursday.

PSG, who beat Arsenal on penalties in Budapest in May to retain the trophy, will play Barcelona, Roma, Turkish champions Galatasaray and Slovan Bratislava of Slovakia at home.

Luis Enrique’s team will travel to England twice to face City and Villa. They beat both teams on the way to winning their first Champions League title in 2025 and also defeated the latter in the UEFA Super Cup in Austria earlier this month.

The French champions will also go to Spain to play Villarreal and Italy to take on a Como side coached by Cesc Fabregas.

“I can’t say anything bad about the Champions League, but I won’t be watching the draw. I will be relaxing and going out on my bike, then we’ll take a look at the menu. But I would sign up for the same result as in the last two years,” Luis Enrique told reporters earlier Thursday.

PSG are aiming to become European champions for a third straight year, something only the Real Madrid of 2016 to 2018 have achieved in the last 50 years.

The first matches in this season’s league phase will be played between Tuesday, September 8, and Thursday, September 10, with the final games in late January. UEFA is expected to announce the full fixture schedule on Saturday.

Last season’s runners-up Arsenal, the Premier League champions, will notably host Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Lille as well as Sabah, the club from Azerbaijan who came through four two-legged qualifying ties to reach the league phase for the first time.

The Gunners have a tough list of away ties against Bayern Munich, Real Betis, Napoli and Slavia Prague.

Fenerbahce back, Viking in

Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool will be at home to Atletico Madrid, Porto, Villarreal and Lens, while playing Inter Milan, Club Brugge, Fenerbahce and Austrian league phase debutants LASK away.

Manchester United, who were not in the first pot of seeds, have home games against Bayern, Roma, RB Leipzig and Sabah and also a series of difficult away fixtures against Atletico, Sporting of Portugal, Villarreal and Como.

Other notable games include Manchester City visiting Barcelona and Real Madrid entertaining Inter, while last season’s Europa League winners Villa must go to Barcelona and play Dortmund at home. Unai Emery’s team will also tackle Istanbul giants Galatasaray and Fenerbahce.

The latter are appearing in the Champions League proper for the first time since 2008/09 after beating Lyon in the play-offs this week.

New names in this season’s competition are Como, who have upset the traditional order in Serie A, and Sabah, while LASK made it to this stage for the first time after a stunning comeback win over Celtic in the play-offs.

Last year’s Norwegian champions Viking, from the city of Stavanger, have reached the Champions League proper for the first time too, and they have a glamorous fixture schedule that includes Bayern, Atletico, Villa and Napoli.

This is the third season since the introduction of the new format for the Champions League, with 36 teams now all pooled together in one giant league and each playing games against eight different opponents.

This season’s final will be played at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on June 5, 2027.

Key UEFA Champions League fixtures

Fixtures for leading clubs in the league phase of this season’s UEFA Champions League, following Thursday’s draw:

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN (FRA)

Barcelona (h), Manchester City (a), Roma (h), Aston Villa (a), Galatasaray (h), Villarreal (a), Slovan Bratislava (h), Como (a)

BAYERN MUNICH (GER)

Arsenal (h), Atletico Madrid (a), Real Betis (h), Manchester United (a), Bodo/Glimt (h), Lille (a), Slavia Prague (h), Viking (a)

REAL MADRID (ESP)

Inter Milan (h), Arsenal (a), PSV Eindhoven (h), Roma (a), RB Leipzig (h), Shakhtar Donetsk (a), LASK (h), AEK Athens (a)

LIVERPOOL (ENG)

Atletico Madrid (h), Inter Milan (a), Porto (h), Club Brugge (a), Villarreal (h), Fenerbahce (a), Lens (h), LASK (a)

INTER MILAN (ITA)

Liverpool (h), Real Madrid (a), Club Brugge (h), Borussia Dortmund (a), Shakhtar Donetsk (h), Feyenoord (a), VfB Stuttgart (h), Slovan Bratislava (a)

MANCHESTER CITY (ENG)

Paris Saint-Germain (h), Barcelona (a), Sporting (h), Porto (a), Napoli (h), RB Leipzig (a), AEK Athens (h), Lens (a)

ARSENAL (ENG)

Real Madrid (h), Bayern Munich (a), Borussia Dortmund (h), Real Betis (a), Lille (h), Napoli (a), Sabah (h), Slavia Prague (a)

BARCELONA (ESP)

Manchester City (h), Paris Saint-Germain (a), Aston Villa (h), Sporting (a), Feyenoord (h), Galatasaray (a), Como (h), Sabah (a)

ATLETICO MADRID (ESP)

Bayern Munich (h), Liverpool (a), Manchester United (h), PSV Eindhoven (a), Fenerbahçe (h), Bodo/Glimt (a), Viking (h), VfB Stuttgart (a)

BORUSSIA DORTMUND (GER)

Inter Milan (h), Arsenal (a), Real Betis (h), Aston Villa (a), Villarreal (h), Bodo/Glimt (a), AEK Athens (h), Sabah (a)

ASTON VILLA (ENG)

Paris Saint-Germain (h), Barcelona (a), Borussia Dortmund (h), Club Brugge (a), Fenerbahçe (h), Galatasaray (a), Viking (h), Slavia Prague (a)

MANCHESTER UNITED (ENG)

Bayern Munich (h), Atletico Madrid (a), Roma (h), Sporting (a), RB Leipzig (h), Villarreal (a), Sabah (h), Como (a)

AFP