Equatorial Guinea have fired head coach Juan Micha after a strike action that saw the team fail to travel to Malawi for their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier Last Thursday, Afrosport reports.
Some of the key players in the squad refused to travel for their penultimate qualifier in Lilongwe, with complaints over conditions in the training camp and also bonuses.
This led to the Equatorial Guinea Football Federation (FEGUIFUT) to dismiss Micha and while players who embarked on the strike, including captain and all-time top scorer Emilio Nsue were ejected from the team.
“The Ministry of Sports has given players called up for these FIFA matches who believe they can continue to defend their country the opportunity to put their names on a list,” read a FEGUIFUT statement on Instagram.
“Otherwise, anyone who doesn’t do so will be deemed to have opted out and will no longer be part of the national team.”
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Micha had been in charge of Equatorial Guinea since 2021, leading them to the 2021, 2023 and 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The National Thunder will have a three-point deduction for failing to honour the match against Malawi and could face further sanctions from world football governing body, FIFA.
They are currently second from bottom in Group H with 10 points age and have no chance of qualifying for the World Cup.
Casto Nopo has been been appointed as interim head coach and will have a new squad at his disposal for the Liberia game.
