The 2022 FIFA World Cup Did Not Exclude Tunisia
The Claim
FIFA excludes Tunisia and Cameroon from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, replacing Tunisia with Algeria.
News posted on
Emerging story
Social media accounts across the MENA region are circulating a claim that FIFA is officially excluding Tunisia and Cameroon from the Qatar 2022 World Cup. According to users, FIFA has announced that Algeria will replace Tunisia.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the circulating claim and found it to be false, as the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) did not announce the exclusion or disqualification of Tunisia and Cameroon from the Qatar 2022 World Cup, nor did it announce the possibility of replacing Tunisia with Algeria in the tournament.
Dispute Between the Ministry of Sports and the Tunisian Football Federation
The claim follows an argument between the Tunisian Football Federation and the Ministry of Sports in Tunisia. The Ministry rejected the Federation's disciplinary committee's decision to hold a play-off between Amal Hammam Sousse and Najm El-Metlaoui to determine which team would play in the Premier League. The decision was overturned because officials from the Tunisian Football Federation had just been convicted of match-fixing and sentenced to five years in prison.
Shukri Hamda, the official spokesman and director of legal affairs at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, stated that they are conducting additional investigations and that if serious shortcomings by the Football Federation are discovered, they will dissolve it. However, news outlets reported that dissolving the Executive Office of the Federation would be a violation of the independence principle enshrined in the Basic Law of the Game. FIFA considers this political meddling and may bar Tunisia from all international tournaments, including the World Cup.
Kenya and Zimbabwe Banned From Participating in AFCON
Tunisia is concerned that FIFA will make a decision to bar its national team from participating in tournaments, similar to the decision it made last February to bar Kenya and Zimbabwe from participating due to government interference and multiple complaints filed by teams in both countries.
FIFA banned Kenya and Zimbabwe’s national teams from participating in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers (AFCON).
Minister Denies Threat to Dissolve Tunisian Football Federation Executive Office
The Tunisian Minister of Youth and Sports, Kamal Daqish, stated that the Tunisian team's participation in the World Cup is certain. He also denied any threats to dissolve the Executive Office of the Tunisian Football Federation.
Tunisia Would Be Replaced by Mali, Not Algeria
According to sports law expert Anis bin Mim, if FIFA excludes Tunisia from the World Cup, Mali will take their place. World Cup qualifying opponent Mali. Misbar's findings confirm that Tunisia is not excluded from the 2022 World Cup.
Translated by Dina Faisal
Read More:
The Simpsons Did Not Predict Algeria’s Qualification for the 2022 World Cup
