FIFA can today confirm the decisions of its Disciplinary Committee in relation to the unplayed 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ qualifying matches Kuwait-Laos and Korea Republic-Kuwait.

The Group G matches of the Asian zone qualifiers scheduled for 24 and 29 March 2016 did not take place and the matter was subsequently referred to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee for its consideration.

The Disciplinary Committee has decided that both of the matches should be forfeited, in accordance with art. 31 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. Furthermore, the Kuwait Football Association has been ordered to pay a fine of CHF 15,000 for each of the unplayed matches after being found liable for the violation of art. 6 par. 5 of the Regulations for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia and art. 56 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. In both cases, the Kuwait Football Association was also issued with a warning and a reprimand.

The decisions, notified to the relevant parties today, were reached after a thorough analysis of all relevant information pertaining to the cases, in particular the fact that the Kuwait Football Association has been suspended since 16 October 2015.

Korea Republic were the only team from Group G to advance to Asia’s third qualifying round for the preliminary competition of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia with Lebanon falling short of finishing as one of the four best runners-up.