GENEVA (AP) -- FIFA has tightened player eligibility rules for the World Cup after eight African qualifying matches were defaulted for the 2014 tournament.
FIFA regulations for the 2018 qualifying program now require each player to produce a national passport the day before kickoff to the governing body's match delegate.
''A player without a valid passport shall not be entitled to play,'' the new rule states. ''Identity cards or other supporting official documents shall not be accepted.''
The text of rule 19.3 in 2018 World Cup regulations had no equivalent in the previous tournament's document.
The 54-member Confederation of African Football did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday.