Sudan football official gets 15-match ban for referee assault

Sudan Football Association vice president Yasser Nasreddin Hamza Al-Samani has been banned from their next 15 competitive matches for assaulting a match official at a World Cup qualifier in September 2025.

A football official has been banned from attending Sudan's 15 matches over violent conduct. / Photo: Reuters / Reuters

Sudan Football Association vice president Yasser Nasreddin Hamza Al-Samani has been banned from their next 15 competitive matches for assaulting a match official at a World Cup qualifier last month, world football's governing body FIFA said.

The incident came after Sudan had lost 1-0 in Lome to Togo, effectively ending their 2026 World Cup hopes.

Sudan's assistant coach Ignatius Osei-Fosu, who is from Ghana, was also handed a three-match ban for what FIFA said was "unsporting behaviour towards a match officials." The referees for the game on September 9 came from Madagascar.

Both men were also fined CHF5,000 ($6,214).