The FIFA disciplinary committee has suspended Saudi midfielder Mohamed Kanno for three matches and fined him five thousand Swiss Francs.
The suspension follows Kanno’s red card during the 2026 AFC World Cup qualifiers against China. He was sent off after VAR deemed his challenge worthy of a second look by the referee, which ultimately led to a red card.
The disciplinary committee ruled that Kanno’s challenge constituted violent conduct, resulting in a three-match suspension.
As a result, Kanno will miss Saudi Arabia’s upcoming games against Japan on 10 October 2024, Bahrain on 15 October 2024, and Australia on 14 November 2024. He will be eligible to play again on 19 November 2024, when Saudi Arabia faces Indonesia.
Saudi Arabia is currently second in their group with four points from two matches, having drawn 1-1 against Indonesia in the first match and defeated China 2-1 in the second. Japan leads the group with six points from two matches.
The top two teams in the group will qualify automatically for the 2026 World Cup, while the third and fourth-placed teams will advance to the Asian playoff round.