The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has handed down severe penalties to the Equatorial Guinea Football Federation for fielding Emilio Nsue López in the 2026 World Cup preliminary matches despite his ineligibility.
Following a review of the case, FIFA confirmed today that López was ineligible to participate in several matches. The games include key fixtures against Namibia and Liberia on November 15 and 20, 2023. As a result, both matches have been forfeited, awarding 3-0 victories to Equatorial Guinea’s opponents.
This is a significant loss to Equatorial Guinea in their journey to the 2026 FIFA World Cup despite their narrow victories during the games. They won against Namibia with 1-0 at home, while earning the same score against Liberia.
Moreover, FIFA imposed additional sanctions on the Equatorial Guinea Football Federation and López. The nation has been fined CHF 150,000, while López is banned from representing any football federation for six months.
Nzalang Nacional and its captain have the right to appeal the decision to the FIFA Appeal Committee. “The decisions have been communicated to the parties involved, who now have ten days to request the detailed reasons behind the ruling,” stated FIFA in its official release.
Emilio Nsue, 34, was the top scorer at the 2023 African Cup of Nations. He netted five goals in four outings as Equatorial Guinea were knocked out in the last 16.
Emilio Nsue and Equatorial Guinea face FIFA sanctions
