Equatorial Guinea Bid to Overturn FIFA World Cup Forfeits Fails at CAS

Namibia are holding second place in World Cup qualifying as Cas ruling dashes Equatorial Guinea’s appeal hopes over forfeited points.

Equatorial Guinea have seen their hopes of reigniting their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign crushed after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) dismissed their appeal to overturn points deductions for fielding an ineligible player.

The Central Africans were stripped of victories over Namibia and Liberia after world governing body Fifa ruled that forward Emilio Nsue was not eligible when he featured – and scored decisive goals – in both 1-0 wins in November 2023.

The six-point penalty has proven devastating for the National Thunder, who are now left scrambling for a continental play-off spot.

"Since the appeal is directed solely at Fifa and does not name the NFA and LFA as co-respondents, the [Cas] panel concludes that the appeal must be dismissed," the Cas ruling, dated 28 July but only recently revealed, stated.

Fifa had argued earlier this year that it was "comfortably satisfied" Nsue never received clearance to formalise his switch from Spain, where he had played at youth level.

Despite the 35-year-old boasting over a decade of appearances for Equatorial Guinea, the governing body said he had not been officially eligible until March 2024, when Feguifut finally proved his citizenship rights through the constitution.

Technicality Blocks Appeal

Equatorial Guinea’s football federation (Feguifut) filed its case to Cas in the hope of restoring the six forfeited points, which would have lifted them from fifth to second in Group H.

Such a position could have placed them in contention for a continental play-off berth and, potentially, a first-ever World Cup appearance.

However, Cas ruled the appeal inadmissible on procedural grounds, noting that Feguifut failed to include the Namibian Football Association (NFA) and the Liberian Football Association (LFA) as respondents.

"Fifa had argued that the views of both FAs needed to be heard as 'their legal interests would be directly affected by any ruling that alters the outcome of the forfeited matches'," the panel explained.

Fifa Defends Sanctions

In its defense before Cas, Fifa insisted that it had shown restraint by merely handing out forfeits instead of issuing harsher sanctions.

"Fifa ventured its decision to only sanction Feguifut by forfeiting points against Namibia and Liberia was 'extremely lenient' as it 'could have imposed the exclusion from the ongoing World Cup qualifiers'."

Nsue, who won the golden boot at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and is Equatorial Guinea’s record scorer, was only officially cleared to represent his father’s homeland this year.

Despite holding a national passport since before his Spain youth appearances in 2005, Fifa maintained that eligibility is only formalised once clearance is granted – and this could not be applied retroactively.

The ruling leaves Namibia in pole position for second place in Group H with 15 points, four ahead of Liberia, while Malawi and Equatorial Guinea sit on 10 each.