AFCON 2017 Qualifiers: Chad withdraws citing financial constraints

Chad has withdrawn from the ongoing 2017 AFCON qualifiers, citing financial constraints as their reason for pulling out.

Former Cameroon captain Rigobert Song’s side were set to take on Tanzania in their return leg match on March 28, having lost the first leg at home 1-0 last Wednesday.

In a statement written by the Chad Football Association secretary general Moctar Mahamoud on Sunday addressed to the General Secretary of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the Chadian Football Association cited financial constraints as the reason for their decision to withdraw.

BREAKING NEWS: Chad has withdrawn their National team from Africa Cup of Nations competition. More to follow pic.twitter.com/se5KGkXk1D

— Soka360 (@soka360tz) March 27, 2016

CAF has since responded to Chad’s withdrawal, announcing how Group G will now pan out while handing the central African country a hefty fine.

The Chad Football Federation withdraws from the #AFCON2017 Qualifiers where they participated in group G alongside Nigeria, Egypt & Tanzania

— CAF (@CAF_Online) March 27, 2016

In conformity to article 61 of the regulations of the competition:

— CAF (@CAF_Online) March 27, 2016

“If a team withdraws from the qualifying phase organised in groups, all its results shall be annulled (points, scored and conceded goals).”

— CAF (@CAF_Online) March 27, 2016

Hence, The matches of Chad of the first three days of Group G matches are cancelled and their results will not be taken into consideration.

— CAF (@CAF_Online) March 27, 2016

Accordingly, following the decision of CAF Executive Committee dated January 15th 2015:

— CAF (@CAF_Online) March 27, 2016

“Any group reduced to three teams following a team withdrawal will only qualify the first team of that group.”

— CAF (@CAF_Online) March 27, 2016

Chad has been fined $20,000 for pulling the plug on its campaign.

The Chadian Football Association is suspended for the upcoming edition of the AFCON and must pay the monetary fine of $20000 Dollars

— CAF (@CAF_Online) March 27, 2016

Chad were sitting at the bottom of Group G with no point from three losses to Egypt, Nigeria and Tanzania. These results will therefore be nullified according to CAF rules and regulations.

That leaves table leaders Egypt with four points, ahead of Nigeria in second with two and Tanzania with one. Egypt and Nigeria face off in a highly billed fixture in Alexandria on March 29.

#Chad pulls out of #AFCON2017 qualifiers completely Bad news for #Nigeria as we must beat #Egypt in Cairo to qualify for Gabon #SuperEagles

— okwoche (@okwoche) March 27, 2016