By David Gold
November 1 – Mauritius have pulled out of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil due to a lack of funds, meaning that Liberia progress to the next stage of the African qualifiers in their place.
A statement from FIFA said: “Mauritius have announced their withdrawal from the preliminary competition for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.”
The 189th ranked team forfeited their right to try to qualify for the group stage of the African section.
It is a major blow to the country, which is due to hold the 2013 FIFA Congress.
“This game would have cost 2 million Mauritian Rupees (£43,400/$70,500) and the FA cannot afford it,” the BBC quoted a source as saying.
Liberia will compete with Senegal, Uganda and Angola in qualifiers being played between June 2012 and September 2013.
Mauritius follows the Bahamas in withdrawing from the qualification programme.
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