The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned Ugandan footballer Ashraf Mbazira with a worldwide ban from all football-related activities over his involvement in match-fixing.
The decision, issued on April 1, 2026, follows a ruling by the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) Ethics and Disciplinary Committee on March 12, 2026.
FIFA confirmed that the sanction has been extended globally in accordance with Article 70 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, which allows penalties imposed by national associations to take effect across all member associations and competitions.
According to FIFA, Mbazira was found guilty of participating in match manipulation during a Uganda Premier League fixture between Kitara FC and Express FC in 2024.
The global football body stated that the ban took effect from March 12, 2026, and bars the player from engaging in any football-related activity at both national and international levels.
FIFA emphasized its zero-tolerance stance on match-fixing, noting that such actions undermine the integrity of the sport. The organization reaffirmed its commitment to working with member associations like FUFA to combat corruption and protect fair play in football.
Ahmed Hussein, the Communications director at FUFA, says the federation fully supports FIFA’s decision. “This decision sends a clear and strong message that match-fixing and any form of manipulation of the game will not be tolerated.
FUFA remains committed to working with FIFA and other stakeholders to protect the integrity of football in Uganda,” Hussein said.The latest sanction adds to a growing list of Ugandan football officials and players facing similar punishment over the same match-fixing scandal.
Earlier, FIFA handed global bans to former Express FC head coach Mike Mutyaba, goalkeeper Emmanuel Kalyowa, and former club Chief Executive Officer Miiro Ashraf Mwanje after they were found culpable in the manipulation of the same 2024 fixture.
Football authorities say the coordinated sanctions signal a firm crackdown on match-fixing, which has increasingly threatened the credibility of the game both in Uganda and globally.
Match-fixing is the illegal manipulation of the result of a sports match or elements of a match, such as a specific throw-in, penalty-kick, or yellow card.
The most common reason for match-fixing is to achieve financial gain through betting activities. It is estimated that the betting market, whether legal or illegal, generates over a trillion US dollars a year. URN