FIFA is investigating Equatorial Guinea for not traveling to the World Cup qualifier in a chaotic group

FIFA opened a disciplinary case against Equatorial Guinea on Friday after the team failed to travel to a World Cup qualifier, the latest incident in an increasingly chaotic campaign.

FIFA said its disciplinary committee will investigate why Equatorial Guinea’s men’s team did not go to Malawi for a match scheduled for Thursday. Both teams were still in contention to advance to the play-offs by finishing second in the group behind winners Tunisia.

Equatorial Guinea lost their first two matches last November after losing 3-0 to FIFA after veteran captain Emilio Nsue was deemed ineligible to represent the country. Nsue had scored the goals in the 1-0 wins against Namibia and Liberia.

A post on the team’s official Instagram account said the players had voted not to travel to the match because their health was at risk by being asked to fly overnight and land in Lilongwe, Malawi, on the morning of the match.

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The national football federation suspended coach Juan Micha over the incident, saying on its own Instagram account that the players and coach had shown disrespect to the people of Equatorial Guinea.

The Malawi Football Federation simply said in a statement that the match was canceled “due to unforeseen travel complications for the visiting team.”

FIFA would typically punish a team that fails to fulfill its World Cup qualifiers with a default loss.

Federations whose teams do not play a scheduled match may also be ordered to pay costs and compensation to opponents and FIFA.

Nsue was finally cleared by FIFA to play for Equatorial Guinea again this year, despite the Spanish-born player previously being technically ineligible for his entire international career with the West African country, which began in 2013. Nsue, now 36, had played for the Spanish Under-21 team, including at a European Championship.

Equatorial Guinea should complete its qualifying group on Monday in a match at home against Liberia.

Published on October 10, 2025