Equatorial Guinea’s marksman Emilio Nsue can appeal against his six-months ban by FIFA

Nsue (centre) was top scorer at the AFCON 2023 Côte d’Ivoire 

* Throughout his 11-year international career having featured for Spain’s national youth sides in official competitions

* Before playing for Equatorial Guinea’s senior side without having been granted permission by FIFA for a change of association

* He only acquired the Equatoguinean nationality after having played in his first international match in an official competition

By Duncan Mlanjira

Equatorial Guinea’s marksman Emilio Nsue can appeal against his six-months ban imposed by FIFA through the same world football governing body or later via the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) if unsuccessful.

According to UK’s The Guardian, quoting FIFA, Nsue — who plays for the third-tier Spanish team Intercity — was never eligible to play for the west African country throughout his 11-year international career having featured for Spain’s national youth sides in official competitions before playing for Equatorial Guinea’s senior side without having been granted permission for a change of association.

When it was investigated in 2013, FIFA discovered that Nsue had only acquired the Equatoguinean nationality after having played in his first international match in an official competition and when he earned his two more caps, the world football governing body found Nsue ineligible and went ahead to default Equatorial Guinea of two FIFA World Cup 2014 qualification matches as 3-0 defeats.

Nsue had at that point played 26 competitive matches for Spain from under-16 level through to under-21 and featured in the European Under-21 Championship in 2011.

According to The Guardian, Equatorial Guinea requested Nsue’s release from the Spanish FA but did not make the request through the world football governing body as per international rules and he continued to play for the west African country.

Equatorial Guinea are in Group H of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifiers alongside Malawi Flames, Namibia, Tunisia and São Tomé e Principe.

Tunisia, lead the group after winning their Marchday 1 & 2 matches against São Tomé e Principe (4-0) and 1-0 away win against the Flames at Bingu — tying at six points with Equatorial Guinea but after FIFA’s decision, the Equatoguineans drop to the bottom of the group — joining São Tomé e Principe without a point.

Namibia and Tunisia share six points apiece and both have same goal difference of five while Liberia and the Flames also tie on three points but are now 3rd and 4th respectively as they are separated by goal difference.

If Nsue appeals and is successful, both results they earned would probably be reinstated but for now, they are in a desperate chase for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualification.

Meanwhile, the Flames regrouped yesterday ahead of their qualifiers against Sao Tome on Thursday, June 6 at Bingu National Stadium before traveling to Malabo to face Equatorial Guinea on Monday, June 10 while tomorrow, Equatorial Guinea date Tunisia in Rades before meeting Malawi for the Matchday 3 & 4.

Namibia — who have been energised have been awarded three points and three goals making their total of goals at five, will meet Liberia on neutral venue in Johannesburg, South Africa while on Sunday, June 9, São Tomé e Principe will face Liberia on a neutral venue in Oudja, Morocco as Namibia host Tunisia again in Johannesburg.

The qualifying matches started in November and the next qualifying matchdays will be in 2025 (March, September, October and November) and Mabedi’s side need to win both Matchday 3 & 4 qualifiers to accumulate nine points to stay in contention.

To be hosted jointly by the United States of America, Mexico and Canada, the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ is through a complex qualification as the finals will have 48 participating countries instead of the conventional 32 giving an advantage for Africa to field more teams.

The top team from each group after Match Day 10 shall earn an automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup finals and additionally, the four best second-placed 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.

Though ranked 188 as of April’s FIFA Rankings while the Flames are at 125, São Tomé shouldn’t be underrated at all as in February and March, they were edged out of the preliminary round of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 by South Sudan after 1-1 result from both legs with South Sudan qualifying for the next round through an away goal rule.

Mabedi’s 26-man squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifiers has nine players from one team, Silver Strikers — goalkeeper George Chikooka, who holds five clean sheets in the nine TNM Super League 2024 title race matches, as well as Maxwell Paipi, Tatenda M’balaka, McDonald Lameck, Nickson John Mwase in defence and Chimwemwe Idana, Patrick Macheso, Uchizi Vunga and Chikondi Kamanga in midfield.

Nyasa Big Bullets, who recorded their first defeat of the season at the hands of unbeaten Silver Strikers yesterday, have contributed five — goalkeeper Innocent Nyasulu, defender Precious Sambani and midfielders Lanjesi Nkhoma, Lloyd Aaron and Patrick Mwaungulu.

Mighty Wanderers have defenders Stanley Sanudi, Lawrence Chaiya midfielders Blessings Singini, Wisdom Mpinganjira and missing in the usual call up for strikers are Gaddie Chirwa and Christopher Kumwembe.

Kumwembe, who netted his team’s first goal in their 3-1 triumph over Dedza Dynamos on Saturday picked up an injury and missing on his foreign-based players is striker Gabadhino Mhango.

The coached named six foreign-based players — goalkeeper Brighton Munthali (Black Leopards, South Africa); defender Denis Chembezi (Al-Qasim SC, Iraq); captain John Banda (UD Songo, Mozambique); Zambia based trio of strikers Chifundo Mphasi (Kabwe Warriors) and Chawanangwa Kaonga, midfielder Robert Saizi (both ZANACO) as well as USA-based striker Henry Mwayi Kumwenda (Butler Men’s Soccer).

Other players are goalkeeper Innocent Nyasulu (Nyasa Big Bullets); defendersPrecious Sambani (Nyasa Big Bullets); midfielders Lanjesi Nkhoma, Lloyd Aaron and Patrick Mwaungulu (Nyasa Big Bullets).