As of August 2025, 210 international locations function within the FIFA males’s rankings – with East African nation Eritrea unranked as they haven’t performed a aggressive match within the final 4 years.
It has been claimed that their governing physique typically take the choice to postpone video games to keep away from gamers making an attempt escape from the nation and request political asylum when taking part in away video games.
Eritrea usually are not banned from competing as they’re nonetheless eligible to take action. Nonetheless, 17 international locations have been suspended from soccer – together with one who stay unable to play in aggressive fixtures.
Russia
Having hosted the 2018 World Cup received by France, Russia were banned by FIFA and UEFA in Could 2022 – following on from the invasion of Ukraine and a plethora of European associations refusing to play them.
They had been banned from the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024 in addition to qualification for the 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Russia stay banned from the World Cup. Picture: Getty
In current instances Russia have performed Belarus, Nigeria, Zambia and Grenada in unofficial pleasant fixtures and Donald Trump has hinted at Russia returning.
On the first assembly of his administration’s 2026 World Cup job drive, FIFA president Gianni Infantino mentioned he hopes “peace will occur and Russia will be readmitted – which prompted the US president to answer, “That could possibly be an excellent incentive, proper? We would like them to cease.”
South Africa
Fellow World Cup hosts South Africa had been banned throughout the interval of racial apartheid. It was lifted in 1963 following a go to from then-FIFA President Stanley Rous however his successor Joao Havelange expelled them in 1976.
The suspension was lifted correctly in 1991 when apartheid was nearing its finish they usually received the Africa Cup of Nations in 1996.
Mexico
For various causes, Mexico had been banned from two tournaments as a result of they fielded 4 overage gamers throughout a qualifying spherical for a world junior event.
Having been the hosts in 1986, 4 years later they weren’t allowed to finish on the showpiece in Italy, the place West Germany went all the best way.
Chile
In simply probably the most weird purpose for a World Cup ban, goalkeeper Roberto Rojas used a hidden blade in his glove to chop himself in a qualifier towards Brazil – and pretended he had been injured by a flare thrown by a fan.
Chile’s ban is among the many most weird in soccer historical past. Picture: Getty
His actions led to him being banned for all times and his nation suffered too as they weren’t allowed to compete on the 1994 World Cup.
Germany and Japan
Within the 1950 World Cup, the primary since 1938, Germany and Japan had been barred as a consequence of their actions throughout World Warfare II. A few years later, each went on to efficiently host the event 4 years aside.
Pakistan
Pakistan had been first suspended by FIFA when its federation’s places of work got here below the management of an administrator, who had been put in place by a courtroom in a transfer which breached FIFA’s third-party guidelines.
A second suspension got here in 2021 when a “hostile takeover” of the Pakistan Soccer Federation came about after which the hat-trick was accomplished when the affiliation had did not undertake a structure accredited by FIFA and the Asian Soccer Confederation amid governance points.
It was lifted in March after the PFF agreed to conform.
Congo
In an identical timeframe, Congo had been suspended in February following authorities interference. They had been readmitted after FIFA had been happy that the requested situations had been met.
