Sudan Football Association Vice president, Yasser Nasreddin Banned for referee assault
Sudan Football Association (SFA) vice president, Yasser Nasreddin Hamza Al-Samani, has been hit with a significant 15-match ban from all competitive football activities by world football’s governing body, FIFA, for assaulting a match official.
The disciplinary action stems from an incident that occurred last month following Sudan’s 1-0 loss to Togo in a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match held in Lomé on September 9, 2025. The defeat ultimately extinguished Sudan’s hopes of qualifying for the tournament.
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee found Al-Samani responsible for the assault and imposed the lengthy ban, which prevents him from attending the national team’s next 15 competitive fixtures.
In addition to the suspension, the SFA vice president was ordered to pay a financial penalty of CHF5,000 (approximately $6,214).
The committee also issued sanctions against Sudan’s assistant coach, Ignatius Osei-Fosu of Ghana, for his conduct during the same match. Osei-Fosu received a three-match ban and was fined the same amount of CHF5,000 for “unsporting behaviour towards a match official.” The referees for the fixture were from Madagascar.
The action by FIFA underscores its strict stance against violence and unsporting conduct directed at match officials in international football.
