Congo has been reinstated in the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) after a successful appeal to the Confederation of African Football (CAF). This decision comes just weeks before the tournament starts on August 2.
The CAF Appeals Jury accepted Congo’s protest against a previous ruling that disqualified their national team, the Red Devils A’. The Congolese Football Federation (Fecafoot) argued against the initial decision, which came after Equatorial Guinea filed a complaint.
Equatorial Guinea, who lost to Congo in the CHAN play-offs (0-0 in the first leg and 2-1 in the second), claimed that Congo had used an ineligible player, Japhet Mankou, and invalid player licenses. CAF’s Disciplinary Jury initially sided with Equatorial Guinea, awarding both matches to them by default and fining Congo $10,000, last January.
The Appeals Jury has now reversed that ruling, restoring the original match results and confirming Congo’s place in the tournament. As a result, Equatorial Guinea has been disqualified.
This reversal raises questions about the consistency and transparency of CAF’s disciplinary processes. The decision cancels the previous punishment and brings the integrity of the organization’s decisions into question.
Congo will compete in Group D of the CHAN alongside defending champions Senegal, as well as Sudan and Nigeria, making for a tough group stage.
Although the reinstatement comes just in time for final preparations, it adds controversy to the tournament’s lead-up. Critics argue that such last-minute changes weaken CAF’s authority, while supporters see it as fixing earlier mistakes. Despite the turmoil, Congo now has the chance to focus on their performance in a challenging group.
Congo reinstated to CHAN
— Alie Bittar (@bittar32) June 18, 2025
Congo has been reinstated in the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) after a successful appeal to the Confederation of African Football (CAF). This decision comes just weeks before the tournament starts on August 2.
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