By Victor Kanayo
FIFA has rejected an appeal by Liberia requesting a rematch in its 2026 World Cup qualifier against Tunisia.
The Liberian team, also known as the Lone Stars, lost 0–1 in the match played on 19 March 2025 at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex.
Following the controversial defeat, the Liberia Football Association (LFA), backed by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, lodged a formal protest with FIFA, citing multiple questionable officiating decisions by Ivorian referee Clement Franklin Kpan.
The LFA argued that Kpan’s handling of the match significantly impacted its outcome, particularly highlighting three denied penalty appeals.
According to the LFA, the most notable incident involved an alleged handball by a Tunisian defender inside the penalty box—a decision they claim deprived Liberia of a crucial scoring opportunity.
Despite weeks of review, FIFA concluded that while officiating errors were evident, they did not warrant a replay of the match.
“FIFA’s Refereeing and Disciplinary Committees reviewed the case and determined that the officiating decisions did not justify overturning the result or calling for a rematch,” read a communication from FIFA to the LFA in our possession.
The ruling contrasts with a similar case during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, when FIFA ordered a replay of a match between South Africa and Senegal due to biased officiating.
That decision followed the lifetime ban of Ghanaian referee Joseph Lamptey, who was found guilty of match manipulation.
