Official: Congo Brazzaville withdraws from the 2026 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations qualifiers | OneFootball

The executive committee of the Congolese Football Federation cites several administrative violations.

Official: Congo Brazzaville withdraws from the 2026 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations qualifiers

The Republic of Congo will not participate in the UNIFAC tournament qualifying for the 2026 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations. In a press release issued on February 16 and signed by the executive committee, the Congolese Football Federation announced the "non-participation of the Red Devils U-17" in the competition.

On the eve of the UNIFAC tournament's kickoff in Kinshasa, Congo Brazzaville confirmed its official withdrawal from the event. The reasons behind this decision are multifaceted, including the absence of a national championship due to stadium closures across the country. The Congolese Football Federation also highlighted a series of administrative issues with the Ministry of Sports, most notably time constraints and the lack of official documentation for some players.

The federation's committee expressed surprise at not being involved as the technical authority in the tournament's preparations, and "deeply regrets this unfortunate withdrawal of the U-17 Red Devils."A week earlier, the Congolese Federation had already stated it did not recognize the existence of a national U-17 team, a fact it reportedly learned through the media. The UNIFAC tournament kicks off tomorrow in Kinshasa.