Confederation of African Football (CAF) today released a statement disqualifying Zimbabwe and Kenya Football Federations from participating in the 2023 AFCON which will kick off on the first day of June 2022. Around March this year, World’s Football governing body, FIFA, confirmed the suspension of both Football Federations as a result of their government interference in the operation of the National team.
CAF confirmed the suspension of Kenya and Zimbabwe Federations because FIFA until today didn’t lift the suspension placed on both Federations. Although CAF had included them in the official draw earlier in April 2022 on the condition that the suspension must be lifted two weeks before their first match day.
They didn’t meet the benchmarks placed on them as a prerequisite by FIFA, in this regard the suspension lingers.
CAF on their official website as gathered by The News Chronicle said:
“Because of the suspension, the following will apply:
— The two associations; Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) will be considered losers and eliminated from the competition.
— Groups C and K will be composed only of three teams, and the order of the matches will be maintained by the match schedule that has been communicated to the teams after the draw.
— The first and runner-up teams of those groups will qualify for the final tournament.”
The Kenya National Football Team nicknamed Harambee who last participated in the AFCON in the 2019 edition has only made six appearances in the tournament, and the furthest they have gone was the group stage level.
Zimbabwe National Football Team known as “The Warriors” participated last in the 2021 AFCON edition. They have appeared five times in the African biggest tournament, and their best campaign was in the 2014 edition where they finished 4th place.
