In recent times Russia have played Belarus, Nigeria, Zambia and Grenada in unofficial friendly fixtures and Donald Trump has hinted at Russia returning.
At the first meeting of his administration's 2026 World Cup task force, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he hopes "peace will happen and Russia can be readmitted - which prompted the US president to reply, "That could be a good incentive, right? We want them to stop."
South Africa
Fellow World Cup hosts South Africa were banned during the period of racial apartheid. It was lifted in 1963 following a visit from then-FIFA President Stanley Rous but his successor Joao Havelange expelled them in 1976.
The suspension was lifted properly in 1991 when apartheid was nearing its end and they won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1996.
Mexico
For different reasons, Mexico were banned from two tournaments because they fielded four overage players during a qualifying round for a world junior tournament.
Having been the hosts in 1986, four years later they were not allowed to complete at the showpiece in Italy, where West Germany went all the way.
Chile
In easily the most bizarre reason for a World Cup ban, goalkeeper Roberto Rojas used a hidden blade in his glove to cut himself in a qualifier against Brazil - and pretended he had been injured by a flare thrown by a fan.
His actions led to him being banned for life and his country suffered too as they were not allowed to compete at the 1994 World Cup.
Germany and Japan
In the 1950 World Cup, the first since 1938, Germany and Japan were barred due to their actions during World War II. Many years later, both went on to successfully host the tournament four years apart.
Pakistan
Pakistan were first suspended by FIFA when its federation's offices came under the control of an administrator, who had been put in place by a court in a move which breached FIFA's third-party rules.
A second suspension came in 2021 when a "hostile takeover" of the Pakistan Football Federation took place and then the hat-trick was completed when the association had failed to adopt a constitution approved by FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation amid governance issues.
It was lifted in March after the PFF agreed to comply.
Congo
In a similar timeframe, Congo were suspended in February following government interference. They were readmitted after FIFA were satisfied that the requested conditions were met.
63 professional footballers have been officially banned for life by FIFA, and some of the reasons for the punishments are stunning to say the least.
Like with anything, football has its own set of rules, which can vary depending on which federation and governing body rules each match.
Referees have yellow and red cards at their disposal, which they hand out as they see fit during matches.
Of course, an accumulation of yellow cards leads to a suspension in most leagues, while a red card often results in a three-match ban for a player.
Then, some incidents warrant a more extreme punishment.
For example, Eric Cantona was banned for nine months after kung-fu kicking a Crystal Palace fan while playing for Manchester United in 1995.
Rio Ferdinand was banned for eight months for missing a drug test in 2003, while Luis Suarez was banned for four months for biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup.
But some players have even been banned for life for various reasons.
As reported by GiveMeSport, 63 players have been handed lifetime bans by FIFA, the international governing body of association football.
Among the 63 players is Mursyid Effendi, who was banned for arguably the strangest reason of all.
Several players on the list have been banned because of match-fixing, aggression towards referees and doping, but what Effendi did was blatant.
Back in 1998, the Indonesian was given a life ban from international football by FIFA after he deliberately scored an own goal for Indonesia in their group stage match of the Tiger Cup against Thailand.
Effendi, who was a defender, saved the ball, turned around and smashed it into his own goal, making the score 3-2 to Thailand.
It was thought that part of the motivation for his actions was the fact that the group winners would face hosts Vietnam - a 'strong' side - while the runners-up would play against Singapore - a 'weaker' team - in the semi-final.
As it turned out, Indonesia lost in the final four, and Singapore went on to win the tournament.
63 players banned for life by FIFA
Dominique Taboga and Sanel Kuljic - Match fixing (both) and blackmail (Kuljic)
Danijel Madaric Match - Match fixing
Jonathan Bachini - Doping
Seidath Tchomogo, Ibrahim Kargbo and Hellings Mwakasungula - "Match manipulation"
Ahmad Al Saleh - Aggression shown to an official
Ramez Dayoub and Mahmoud El Ali - Match fixing
Vathana Keodouangdeth, Odien Syharlad, Sitthideth Khanthavong, Anousay Noyvong, Thenthong Phonsettha, Vongdalasene Sayoulasouk, Paseuthsack Souliyavong, Xaisongkham Champathong, Khouanta Sivongthong, Maitee, Dao Khotsaya, Soubandit Thammavong, Phoutthakone Keovongsa, Hang Sukonthea, Peas Sothy, Saynakhonevieng Phommapanya, Chintana Souksavath, Moukda Souksavath and MPhatthana Syvilay - "Involvement in the manipulation of matches"
Ou Kyoung-Jun, Park Jung-Hae, Kwon Jip, Lee Jung-Won, Yang Jung-Min, Kwak Chang-Hee, Sin Jun-Bae, Kim Ba-Woo, Park Sang-Wook and Kang Gu-Nam - Match fixing
Mursyid Effendi - Deliberately scoring an own goal
Iu Wai - Attempted to bribe fellow players
Salvador Carmona - Doping
Luis Anaya, Osael Romero, Ramon Sanchez, Christian Castillo, Miguel Granada, Miguel Montes, Dagoberto Portillo, Dennis Alas, Darwin Bonilla, Ramon Flores, Alfredo Pacheco, Mordecai Henriquez, Marvin Gonzalez and Reynaldo Hernandez - Match fixing
Guillermo Ramirez, Yony Flores and Gustavo Cabrera - Match fixing
Romario, Gabriel Tota, Matheus Gomes, Ygor Catatau - Match fixing
Featured Image Credit: Getty
FIFA have enforced sanctions and punishments on many clubs, nations, players, referees and presidents over the years but only two managers/coaches have been prohibited from any involvement in football.
Individuals serving lifetime bans include former FIFA vice president Jack Warner, and the former Brazilian FA presidents Marco Polo del Nero and Ricardo Teixeira.
63 players were banned for life for a multitude of reasons, varying from match fixing to doping and aggressive behaviour towards official.
But the number for managers is much less, where Samson Siasia and Patrick Assoumou Eyi appear to be the only individuals forbidden from coaching.
Why was Samson Siasia banned for life?
Siasia, who played for the likes of Nantes and Al Hilal and won the Africa Cup of Nations, in his playing career, had two spells in charge of the Nigeria national team, including between 2010 and 2011 and then in 2016.
But in 2019, he was hit with a lifetime ban for "agreeing to receive bribes in relation to the manipulation of matches" - according to FIFA.
"The adjudicatory chamber of the independent ethics committee has found Siasia, a former official of the Nigeria Football Federation, guilty of having accepted that he would receive bribes in relation to the manipulation of matches in violation of the FIFA Code of Ethics," the governing body's official statement read.
He was banned from all football-related activities at both national and international level, as well as being fined 50,000 Swiss Francs, following an investigation into links to convicted match fixer Wilson Raj Peruma.
Two years later and an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport proved successful as his fine was cancelled and the suspension reduced to five years.
Why was Patrick Assoumou Eyi banned for life?
Earlier this year, the disgraced Eyi was found guilty of repeated sexual abuse against multiple young players during his spell in charge of the Gabon youth team.
Claims were first made in 2021 and Eyi, nicknamed 'Capello', was provisionally suspended by FIFA when its independent ethics committee launched an investigation.
Eyri admitted charges of raping, grooming and exploiting young players and in a decision supported by FIFPro, the international players’ union, he was banned for life and fined 1 million Swiss francs (£878,000).
The statement from FIFA read: "The investigation into Mr Eyi concerns complaints from at least four male football players who accused him of sexual abuse between 2006 and 2021. Most of these incidents occurred while the players were minors.
“In its decision, the adjudicatory chamber found that Mr Eyi had breached article 24 (Protection of physical and mental integrity) and article 26 (Abuse of position) of the Fifa code of ethics and sanctioned him with a lifetime ban from all football-related activities (administrative, sports or any other) at both national and international level. In addition, a fine in the amount of CHF 1,000,000 has been imposed on Mr Eyi.”
Featured Image Credit: GettyTopics: FIFA
Josh Lawless
Three countries have been banned from competing at the World Cup because of political reasons, following sanctions from the United Nations.
At present, Russia remain suspended from competing in international football and instead have been playing unofficial friendly fixtures against the likes of Belarus, Nigeria, Zambia and Grenada in recent times.
The suspension was announced by FIFA and UEFA in May 2022 amid the invasion of Ukraine and a number of European associations refusing to play Russia.
Russia appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport but were unsuccessful in their efforts - though in March The Independent reported that "moves are currently happening to get Russia back into football".
A good chunk of World Cup bans have been for football reasons, including Mexico in 1990 for fielding overage players at the World Youth Championships and Japan for missed payments back in 1950.
But only three have been blocked from World Cup participation because of a political element.
Russia
Having been hosts for the 2018 edition, Russia were banned from both the 2022 and 2026 World Cup tournaments because of the Ukraine invasion and the fact that England, Poland, and Sweden had said they would not play them.
The ban extends to the youth and women's teams and also applies to the European Championships, with Russian sides also not permitted to play in UEFA competitions.
In 2022, Russia had progressed to play-offs for World Cup qualifying but their tie with Poland was cancelled and their opponents received a bye to the next round.
Yugoslavia
Back in 1992, with United Nations sanctions against the country, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was banned from international football following on from the dissolving of Yugoslavia.
They had finished top of their qualifying group for Euro 92 but received the suspension just 10 days before and were replaced by Denmark, who went on to win the competition. The ban extended to qualifying for the 1994 World Cup and when it was lifted, the union of Serbia and Montenegro continued under the name before being renamed in 2003 and qualifying for the 2006 World Cup with that title.
Both would go on to gain full independence and split to compete as separate nations.
South Africa
The second World Cup host, South Africa put on a memorable festival of football in 2010 but they were banned by FIFA in 1961 during the period of racial apartheid.
The ban was lifted in 1963 following a visit from hen-FIFA President Stanley Rous and there was talk of South African FA proposing playing an all-white team for the 1966 World Cup and team made up of back players four years later.
The idea was rejected and the South African FA was suspended by FIFA in 1965 and later expelled two years later when Joao Havelange became FIFA president.
Their reinstating came in 1992 and they went on to win the Africa Cup of Nations in 1996.
Featured Image Credit: GettyTopics: FIFA
Josh Lawless
Two more countries have had their football associations suspended by FIFA due to 'serious circumstances' ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The next edition of the global tournament which is held every four years will take place across three countries in the summer of 2026.
The USA will be the biggest host of the trio with a total of 11 stadiums due to stage games, with three cities in Mexico and two in Canada completing the tournament's composition.
Argentina are the defending champions having won their third World Cup at the competition held in the winter of 2022 in Qatar, beating France on penalties following a 3-3 draw after extra-time.
For the upcoming 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, eight countries were banned from competing in qualifying for a multitude of reasons.
