Mali could be disqualified from 2019 Afcon

By Our Reporter

The Mali national football team face a risk of being disqualified from the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt that kicks off on 21^st July.

The Mali Eagles could be kicked out due to crisis that is weakening their football federation for almost two years now.

Since December 2017, the Mali Football Federation has been under the supervision of a standardisation committee put in place to draft new statutes within the Federation, and to re-organise current affairs.

Unfortunately, very little has been achieved as far as the missions are concerned.

FIFA is said to have issued an ultimatum to all stakeholders in Mali ahead of their general meeting scheduled for Saturday, June 15.

FIFA’s director of development for Africa and the Caribbean Veron Mosengo-Omba revealed on his twitter that the West African country may be banned if they fail to get it right in their congress coming up this weekend.

“Fifa President Gianni Infantino is clear: if the GA of June 15 turns into a fiasco, the competent bodies of Fifa may suspend Mali. This sentiment is echoed by the president of Caf, Mali risks being suspended from the CAN, which begins on June 21. We will not allow few people to take Malian football hostage.” Omba tweeted.

The General Assembly may not be able to approve the new statutes and the new organisation of current affairs proposed by the standardisation committee. If there are no solutions to the crisis plaguing the Federation, the Country may also be suspended at all levels in world football.

A potential disqualification may make CAF opt to leave only three teams to compete in Group E which comprises of Tunisia, Mauritania and Angola.

They may also consider other options, which include allowing the third-placed team (Gabon) during the qualifiers in Mali’s group to come in as a replacement or grant it to the best third-placed team overall during qualifiers which is Burkina Faso.