Soccer

Uganda, Mauritania and Sudan have withdrawn from the 1994 World Cup, FIFA announced, and soccer’s governing body also indefinitely postponed Libya’s matches because of a U.N. embargo.

Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Sao Tome and Principe, Malawai and Gambia withdrew earlier this year, but FIFA allowed South Africa, Namibia and Benin to enter the tournament late.

Thirty-two teams will compete in Africa’s first round of qualifying, and nine will advance to the second round. Three will qualify for the World Cup finals, scheduled for nine U.S. cities from June 17 to July 17, 1994.

Libya is drawn into Group D of African qualifying play for the championship, along with Nigeria, Congo and South Africa. Its first game is set for Oct. 10 at Congo, followed by an Oct. 23 home game against Nigeria.

The Security Council imposed an air and arms embargo and diplomatic sanctions on Libya last April 15 to press its leader, Moammar Kadafi, to hand over two suspects for trial in the United States or Britain for the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, that killed 270 people.