* Starting against São Tomé e Principe at home on Friday before traveling to play Namibia at neutral venue in South Africa
* The Nzalang Nacional are 5th in Group H with 3 points having been docked off 6 points in wins against against Namibia and Liberia
* For featuring Nsue, who was found he had not correctly completed the change of nationality process when he first declared for Equatorial Guinea, having previously played for Spain at junior level
Maravi Express
The six months suspension that Equatorial Guinea’s captain Emilio Nsue was slapped with in May last year by world football governing body, FIFA for incorrectly completing change of nationality process, has ended and has been included in the squad for their back-to-back FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifiers against Sao Tome e Principe and Namibia.
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The top scorer at the Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON) Côte d’Ivoire 2023 finals, was suspended it was discovered he had not correctly completed the change of nationality process when he first declared for Equatorial Guinea, having previously played for Spain at junior level.
A report by CAFonline says FIFA has since validated Nsue’s change of footballing nationality, and the veteran striker has been included by coach Juan Micha in the 25-man squad for the two qualifiers.
The Nzalang Nacional host São Tomé e Principe in Malabo on Friday and then travel to South Africa where they will face Namibia in Polokwane on March 24.
They are 5th in Group H with 3 points having been docked off 6 points in wins against against Namibia and Liberia and the three points are from the win over Malawi Flames.
Tunisia lead the group with 10 points, followed by Namibia as runners-up (8 points); Liberia 3rd (7); Malawi 4th (6); with and São Tomé e Principe at the bottom without a point.
Standings
Meanwhile, the Flames date Namibia on Friday at Bingu National Stadium before traveling to Tunis to face Tunisia at Stade Olympique Hammadi Agrebi on Monday, March 24.
After these two assignments, the Flames next assignment is the second leg against Namibia in September before hosting Liberia, São Tomé and Equatorial Guinea between October and November 2025.
The FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifiers started in November 2023 in which the Flames, under coach Patrick Mabedi won the first at 1-0 away to Liberia, before losing 0-1 to Tunisia at home. They then beat São Tomé e Principe 3-1 before losing 0-1 to Equatorial Guinea both away.
The 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ finals — to be hosted jointly by the United States of America, Mexico and Canada — will have 48 participating countries instead of the conventional 32 giving an advantage for Africa to field more teams (10).
The top team from each of the nine groups after Match Day 10 in October 2025 shall earn an automatic qualification — while the four best second-placed and top ranked teams from all nine groups will engage in a continental playoff, determining a single victor who will then proceed to a second and final playoff.
This final stage will comprise six teams from various confederations, with the top two emerging as qualified participants, ultimately making up the 48 competing teams.
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