The Cape Verde Islands have lost their place in the last round of African World Cup qualifiers after fielding an ineligible player, FIFA said on Thursday.

Instead Tunisia, who the Cape Verdians upset 2-0 in a shock result on Saturday, advance to the play-off rounds in October and November.

FIFA released a statement outlining the case against the tiny island nation after KickOff.com broke the news earlier today that they were under investigation: “By means of a telephone conference, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has today taken a decision to sanction the Cape Verdean Football Association (FCF) for fielding an ineligible player in the preliminary competition match for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil between Tunisia and the Cape Verde Islands on 7 September 2013,” the statement read.

“The match has been declared to be forfeited and awarded 3-0 in favour of Tunisia, meaning that the Cape Verde Islands will not progress to round three of the FIFA World Cup African zone qualifiers having dropped to second place in Group B with nine points while Tunisia finish first with 14 points and will now advance.

“The FCF has also received a fine of CHF 6,000 after the FIFA Disciplinary Committee considered the FCF liable for having breached art. 55 par. 1 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and art. 8 of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Regulations. “The sanction relates to the Cape Verde player Fernando Varela failing to serve the full four-match suspension imposed on him after receiving a red card for unsporting conduct towards a match official during a FIFA World Cup™ qualifier on 24 March 2013.

“The draw for round three of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers in the African zone will be conducted next Monday, 16 September. The five best-placed sides in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, which will be released today following the outcome of this disciplinary case, will be seeded in the draw.”

Source

nawti: But why?

tex baba: This is quite unfortunate for the cape verde o, see wetin other countries dey die for naim Tunisia just get on a platter of golld...na their luck sha. btw, how would d cape verde officila not have knwn that the player is inelligible? inexperience in FIFA things i guess!

Rawshal: The cape verde FA ar d idiot of d highest level.hw can dey field n ineligible player to d group final match,do dey tink fifa is dump like them..even d player had little or no co
ntributn in d match