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In a dramatic, though not unexpected turn of events, FIFA has decided to nullify a previously announced “special” ranking set for June 21 that was meant to correct seeding of African teams for 2018 World Cup qualifying.

The new ranking was meant to correct what fans and pundits viewed was a highly suspicious “special” ranking issued on June 7 meant to place Tunisia in Pot 1 in place of Egypt, despite the Pharaohs being ranked higher in FIFA’s own June World Ranking, in addition to the May and pending July rankings. The timing, content, and dissemination of the the special ranking was heavily criticized, forcing FIFA – much maligned for its multiple corruption scandals – to reconsider the unprecedented off-schedule ranking in attempt to salvage transparency.

READ: The stench of corruption: FIFA’s “special” ranking

The news was first broken by Qatari outlet beIN Sports, who also first reported the June 7 ranking.

Details are still emerging, but it appears the Tunisian Football Federation was able to execute what many expected it would attempt… to sow enough discord within African federations so as to delay the new ranking, making it seem as though FIFA was forced to revert back to the abnormal June 7 ranking.

Many believe threats to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) also swayed FIFA.

The official word from FIFA was a vague one centered around the specific date of the first “special” ranking, and ignored the multitude of other irregularities brought to their attention in the EFA’s official protest.

There are no details yet regarding what effort the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) did or did not exert to prevent the successful Tunisian lobby, but the news is another setback for EFA presidential hopeful Hany Abou Rida, who guaranteed that Egypt would be in Pot 1 before refusing to take the EFA’s protest to CAS.

Tunisia has successfully lobbied FIFA on multiple occasions since 2013.

1. 

   gogi

   June 23, 2016 at 12:37 AM

   Crazy…

   Reply
2. 

   Ahmed

   June 23, 2016 at 4:42 AM

   Tunisia never bribed or lobbied Fifa Egypt tried to lobby FIFA but it did not work. Therefore Tunisia deserves and rightfully should stay in Pot 1, coming from an Egyptian

   Reply
   • 

     Santos

     June 23, 2016 at 5:20 AM

     Seems legit. Too bad even non Egyptians are disgusted with FIFA over this.

     Reply
3. 

   Hey

   June 23, 2016 at 6:46 AM

   Not fair. Egypt seems to be a team I view as a strong side and they always get a tough draw in the qualifiers. While Tunisia is a team that tends to get weak draws and even gets weak draws in the World Cup. Even last time Egypt played Ghana while Tunisia lucked with Cameroon, who they lost, but Cameroon would they be the worst team in the last World Cup.

   Reply
   • 

     Ahmed

     June 23, 2016 at 1:20 PM

     Egypt are not stronger then Tunisia we lost to them in our last 3 encounters. We lost to Ghana 6-1, the lost to Cameroon 4-1, honestly Cameroon were a much better team than Ghana that year. Tunisia qualified to the world cup 4 times, while we we qualified 2 times. So why are we complaining their national team right now is much better and has a better chance of qualifying to the world cup. We as Egyptians cant complain we must work to qualify to the world cup. Go Egypt and good luck to every other country trying to qualify to the world cup.

     Reply
4. 

   Joe Khalil

   June 23, 2016 at 10:07 AM

   Always not fair, always conspirecy, always the “felool” or “ikhwan” but never Egypt. Its quiet simple. Egypt arent good enough so please kingfut stop crying becauses its embrassing. The only country out of the 200 or so that is complaining is Egypt.

   Reply
5. 

   Benzema

   June 23, 2016 at 1:34 PM

   poor egypte. now you will play in a groupe like this: algerie, tunisie, maroc and libya. And will lose all games 🙂 🙂 🙂

   Reply