World soccer governing body Fifa has given DR Congo Football Association maximum of one week to rehabilitate an international stadium to be in conformity with required standards or face ban.

The Joseph Kabila’s boys face an automatic ban on all home games this year including the on coming qualifiers for 2010 World Cup and African Nations Cup.

Condition of their only main soccer stadium constructed by Chinese, Fifa says is disastrous and cannot be used for any international games unless it is heavily rehabilitated.

DR Congo meets Malawi’s Flames twice in the qualifiers sometimes this year.
The games were supposed to be played in Blantyre in Malawi and Kinshasa but changes are likely if Congo fails to meet Fifa requirements after next week.

Reacting to the Fifa directive DR Congo FA says they doubt the possibility of achieving this big project with in one week.

But Fifa insists, DR Congo have no choice but to rehabilitate the stadium or comply to play all their World Cup and African Nations games away from home.

Fifa in its statement published and discussed Wednesday this week on super port, one of the world’s leading soccer channels, says their inspection team uncovered high security risks at the main international stadium of the country.

And to prevent dangers a recommendation was made to direct a immediate rehabilitation of the stadiums with in shortest time before the big games begin this May.

Fifa refused to give DRC lengthy time mainly because there is only a period of seven weeks before kicking of World Cup and African Nations with Malawi, Djibouti and Egypt in group 12 of the qualifiers.

"Fifa inspection team noted the grave status of the stadiums in DR Congo including high security risks for both players, officials and the spectators which can not be ignored.

"Now that World Cup and African Nations Qualifiers are just seven months away no bonus time exceeding one week could be granted to DR Congo to rehabilitate all the international stadiums to reach the required standards," says the statement.

"Players and officials need to be well protected during the games, this is not the case in DR Congo stadiums," it continues in part.
But some quarters think it is the duty of Confederation of African Football (CAF) whose president is Issa Hayatou to inspect the stadiums and make necessary recommendation in good time.

Meanwhile Fifa just last week banned Chad from any international soccer activities on grounds of political interference.

It occurred that Sports Minister in Chad dissolved Football Association and appointed an interim which triggered investigations from Fifa who eventually after establishing the interference imposed ban on the country.

Malawi is scheduled to begin with Djibouti one of the unknown west African countries on African soccer map.

And Eritrea which were scheduled to play troubled Senegal has withdrawn from the games due what they termed internal political problems which would make hosting the games impossible.