Miami, FL – Concacaf has announced that its Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the Nicaraguan Football Federation (FENIFUT) for a severe violation of the applicable FIFA/Concacaf regulations by fielding an ineligible player in eight Nicaragua Men’s National Team matches, including matches in the 2022/23 Concacaf Nations League (CNL).
In view of this serious breach of regulations, the Concacaf Disciplinary Committee has decided to exclude the Nicaragua Men’s National Team from competing in the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup and to relegate them to League B of the 2023/24 CNL.
Because of the decision of the Concacaf Disciplinary Committee, the Concacaf Council has made the following determinations regarding the implications of this decision on the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup and the 2023/24 Concacaf Nations League:
2023 Concacaf Gold Cup
- The Nicaragua Men’s National Team will be replaced in the 2023 Gold Cup Group Stage (Group A) by the Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Team, by virtue of them being the highest second-place team overall from League B groups in the 2022/23 CNL.
- The place in the Gold Cup Preliminary Round previously occupied by the Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Team will go to the Antigua and Barbuda Men’s National Team, by virtue of them being the team with the highest points (overall) in League B of the 2022/23 CNL to not have qualified to the 2023 Gold Cup Prelims.
- Per the Official Gold Cup and Prelims Draw, which took place on April 14, 2023, the winner of Prelims Matchup 1 will advance to Prelims Matchup 7, and the winner of Prelims Matchup 7 has been drawn into position D4 of Group D. This will remain unchanged.
2023/2024 Concacaf Nations League
- The Nicaragua Men’s National Team will be replaced in League A of the 2023/24 CNL by Trinidad and Tobago Men’s National Team, by virtue of them being the highest second-place team overall from League B groups in the 2022/23 CNL.
- The Nicaragua National Team will be slotted in Group B position B1 of League B, which is the position left vacant by the Trinidad and Tobago National Team given their qualification into League A.
