Fifa has initiated disciplinary actions against three senior officials of the Congo-Brazzaville football federation (Fecofoot), including president Jean-Guy Mayolas, who was recently given a life sentence for embezzlement. Mayolas, his wife, and son face charges related to misuse of $1.3m in Fifa funds meant for women’s football and infrastructure. The trio, tried in absentia, were convicted of money laundering, forgery, and accepting bribes during a Brazzaville trial in March. Fecofoot general secretary Wantete Badji and treasurer Raoul Kanda received five-year prison terms, while Fifa’s ethics committee alleges broader financial misconduct.

The investigation follows a 2015 case where Mayolas and Badji were banned for gift violations, and a 2023 suspension of Fecofoot over political interference. The national team forfeited 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Zambia and Tanzania during the suspension, which was lifted in May after administrative reforms.