17 Countries Banned from the FIFA World Cup – And the Shocking Reasons Why

The is the grandest stage in international football — a dream destination for every nation.
But for some countries, missing the tournament isn’t about losing qualifiers… it’s about being kicked out.

Over the years, has handed out bans for reasons ranging from political interference and corruption to outright scandals on the pitch.

Most recently, Pakistan and Congo were added to the blacklist alongside Russia, making them ineligible for the 2026 tournament. Russia has been barred since 2022, but this story goes far deeper.

Since 1950, 17 nations have been banned from the World Cup. Here’s how and why they fell foul of FIFA:

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Countries Banned by FIFA

Germany & Japan (1950)
Punished in the aftermath of World War II, both nations were excluded from the 1950 tournament due to their wartime roles.

South Africa (1970–1990)
Banned over apartheid policies. Expelled from FIFA in 1976 and missed five World Cups before returning in 1991.

Mexico (1990)
Sanctioned after fielding overage players in a youth competition. Hit with a two-year ban that ruled them out of Italia ’90.

Chile (1994)
Goalkeeper Roberto Rojas faked an injury against Brazil in 1989. The scandal earned Chile a ban and Rojas a lifetime suspension (later lifted in 2001).

Myanmar (2006)
Blocked from qualifying after pulling out of a 2002 World Cup qualifier against Iran.

Iraq (2008)
Suspended after its Olympic committee and national sports federation were dissolved by authorities.

Nigeria (2014)
Banned due to government interference in football administration.

Kuwait (2015)
Suspended for political meddling in football affairs.

Indonesia (2015)
Punished for the same reason as Kuwait — state interference in the sport.

Guatemala (2016)
Banned after government involvement disrupted football governance.

Pakistan (2017, 2021 & 2025)
Hit with multiple suspensions over internal federation crises and leadership disputes.

Chad (2021)
Sanctioned due to government interference in football matters.

Russia (2022 & 2026)
Banned following the invasion of Ukraine, ruling them out of two consecutive World Cups.

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⚽ Bottom line:
Qualifying for the World Cup is hard — but staying eligible is even harder. Politics, corruption, and scandal have derailed entire nations’ dreams of football glory.