Congo's Dramatic Withdrawal From CAF U-17 Qualifiers Sends Shockwaves Through African Football
In a stunning development that has plunged Central African football into fresh controversy, the Republic of Congo has officially withdrawn from the UNIFAC tournament serving as qualifiers for the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations. The Congolese Football Federation (FECOFOOT) confirmed the non-participation of their U-17 Red Devils team in a statement issued on February 16, just hours before the competition was scheduled to begin in Kinshasa.
Last-Minute Withdrawal Stuns Organizers and Rivals
The withdrawal came less than 24 hours before kickoff, leaving tournament organizers and rival teams in a state of shock. Congo Brazzaville had been drawn in Group A alongside hosts Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic, setting up what promised to be a competitive opening phase of the qualification tournament.
According to FECOFOOT, the decision was unavoidable due to several unresolved problems that had been brewing for months. The federation cited the absence of a national youth championship following stadium closures across the country, administrative breakdowns with the Ministry of Sports, severe time constraints, and the lack of valid documentation for some players as primary reasons for their withdrawal.
Federation Claims U-17 Team 'Did Not Exist' Until Media Reports
The situation took an extraordinary turn when FECOFOOT revealed it did not even recognize the existence of a national U-17 team until learning about it through media reports. On February 10, just one week before the tournament was set to begin, the federation released a strong statement declaring it did not "recognise" the squad supposedly entered for the qualifiers.
This unprecedented claim exposed deep cracks in Congo's football administration and raised serious questions about communication and coordination between different football authorities in the country. The executive committee expressed deep regret over what they called this unfortunate withdrawal, adding that the federation had been sidelined from key preparations despite being the technical authority for football in Congo.
Coach's Warnings and Administrative Failures
Reports from Afrik-Foot suggest the Congo U-17 squad was assembled under coach Fabrizio Sinaza, who had warned as early as December 2025 about the difficulty of building a competitive team due to the complete lack of domestic competitions. FECOFOOT confirmed there was no follow-up communication after those initial consultations, leaving the federation completely unaware that a team had been put together for an official continental competition.
The federation ultimately opted for complete withdrawal, fearing both potential embarrassment on the international stage and possible regulatory sanctions from CAF for fielding an improperly constituted team. This decision represents a significant setback for Congolese football development at the youth level.
High Stakes for AFCON and World Cup Qualification
The UNIFAC 2026 tournament runs from February 17 to March 2 in Kinshasa and serves as the qualification pathway for Central African teams seeking to reach the 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations. The main U-17 AFCON finals will be hosted by Morocco from April 25 to May 15, featuring Africa's best young talents battling for continental glory.
Beyond the AFCON itself, the stakes are even higher for participating nations. The top 10 teams from the tournament will qualify for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, making Congo's withdrawal a major missed opportunity for its next generation of players to gain valuable international experience and potentially launch professional careers.
Compounding Football Troubles for Congo
This withdrawal comes amid other significant football troubles for Congo. In a separate development, FIFA suspended the Congo-Brazzaville football federation in February for what they described as a 'particularly serious situation' of alleged undue influence, effectively ruling them out from the 2026 World Cup qualification process.
As a result of that suspension, their qualification fixtures against Zambia and Tanzania were cancelled by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), with the opposition teams being handed 3-0 victories respectively. These compounding issues paint a troubling picture of administrative challenges facing Congolese football at multiple levels.
The UNIFAC tournament continues without Congo, with 16 teams ultimately set to qualify for the U-17 AFCON in Morocco. For the young players of Congo who might have represented their country, this withdrawal represents a lost opportunity that highlights the importance of proper football administration and youth development structures in African nations.
