The Africa Cup of Nations has long been the biggest stage for African football, bringing together the continent’s finest teams while drawing global attention; however, the tournament’s history has also seen moments of controversy as political crises, governance issues, and public health emergencies have forced CAF to suspend or ban some nations from taking part. To date, seven countries have faced exclusion under different circumstances, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
Morocco, host of the 2025 AFCON, is among the countries once sanctioned. The North African side was banned from the 2017 and 2019 editions after pulling out of hosting the 2015 tournament due to concerns over the Ebola outbreak, a decision that attracted heavy fines and a two-tournament suspension from CAF, emphasizing the consequences of withdrawing from hosting duties.
Nigeria has also been affected by CAF sanctions. In 1996, political interference under General Sani Abacha’s regime forced the Super Eagles to withdraw despite qualifying, a decision that cut the expanded 16-team tournament to 15 teams and led to a CAF ban that excluded Nigeria from the next edition.
South Africa faced the longest ban in AFCON history. Under apartheid, the country was expelled from African football and officially banned from 1958 to 1992, a period that saw them miss 18 consecutive AFCON tournaments and reflected the global political isolation of that era.
More recently, governance failures and political interference have continued to influence AFCON participation. Zimbabwe and Kenya were barred from the 2023 AFCON qualifiers after FIFA and CAF imposed suspensions due to government meddling in their football administrations. Sierra Leone suffered a similar setback during the 2019 qualifiers following internal disputes and political involvement in the football federation, while Chad was removed from the 2017 qualification series after withdrawing from the competition.
These instances reveal how politics, governance, public health, and football often intersect in Africa, reminding us that while AFCON remains a celebration of unity and sporting excellence, the realities faced by nations off the pitch can still shape what happens on it.