FIFA announced Ecuador eligibility to participate in World Cup

FIFA announced that

's appeal to exclude

from the World Cup has not been approved and that La Tri will be present at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

After the World Cup draw and Ecuador's placement in Group A, Chile announced that

, who had appeared in eight World Cup qualifiers, was ineligible to play for Ecuador.

They claimed that Castillo was born in Colombia and therefore they were trying to prevent Ecuador from participating in the World Cup.

However, after an investigation, FIFA announced that Chile's complaint against Ecuador had been dismissed and that La Tri would have no problem playing in Qatar.

FIFA's statement reads:

"Having analysed the submissions of all parties and after a hearing had been conducted, the Appeal Committee confirmed the decision of the Disciplinary Committee to close the proceedings initiated against the FEF.

"Amongst other considerations, it deemed that on the basis of the documents presented, the player was to be considered as holding permanent Ecuadorian nationality in accordance with art. 5 par. 1 of the FIFA Regulations Governing the Application of the Statutes."

With FIFA's decision announced, it is likely that Chile will pursue the case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and seek Ecuador's exclusion.

La Tri is drawn in Group A along with the Netherlands, Qatar and Senegal.

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