FIFA has officially lifted the suspension on the Republic of Congo’s football federation (FECOFOOT), three months after it was imposed due to third-party interference in the organisation’s internal affairs.
The ban, announced earlier this year, stemmed from a long-running dispute between FECOFOOT and the country’s Ministry of Sports, which led to the closure of certain sports facilities and even the federation’s own headquarters. FIFA had cited governmental interference as a breach of its statutes, prompting the suspension of Congo from all international football activities.
In the wake of the suspension, Congo’s Sports Minister, Hugues Ngouélondélé, had expressed a willingness to resolve the issue, stating that his ministry would reach out to FIFA to discuss terms for lifting the ban.
FIFA confirmed on Wednesday that all conditions for reinstatement had now been met, most notably the restoration of full control of FECOFOOT’s headquarters to the football body. The global governing body had set strict requirements to ensure the autonomy of the national federation was respected.
“The Bureau of the FIFA Council has decided to lift the suspension of the Congolese Football Federation with immediate effect,” FIFA said in a statement. “The decision follows confirmation that the situation which led to the suspension — namely, third-party interference — has now been resolved.”
With the ban lifted, FECOFOOT can resume its regular operations, including participation in FIFA-sanctioned matches and tournaments, and access to development funding from FIFA.
The episode serves as a reminder of FIFA’s zero-tolerance stance on political or governmental interference in football governance, a principle it enforces across all member associations to safeguard the integrity and independence of the sport.
