Burkino Faso lose World Cup appeal

FIFA has dismissed Burkina Faso’s appeal against their elimination from World Cup qualifying by Algeria.

Algeria advanced on away goals after the teams finished 3-3 on aggregate. Algeria captain Madjid Bougherra scored in a 1-0 second-leg victory in Blida, Algeria, last week.

The Burkina Faso football federation (FBF) had claimed Algeria defender Madjid Bougherra was ineligible for the teams’ play-off match in Algiers last week.

According to FBF president Sita Sangare, Bougherra picked up a yellow card during the group stage of qualifying against Mali and also went into the book during Burkina Faso’s 3-2 win in the first leg of their play-off, which should have ruled him out of the second leg.

Football’s governing body says ”no breach of the FIFA regulations has been committed” by Algerian officials. FIFA also says the ”formal conditions to lodge a protest were not met.”

World Cup regulations require eligibility protests during qualifying to be filed within one hour after matches.