AFCON 2027 qualifiers: Geoffrey Kondogbia and Louis Mafouta return to the Central African Republic squad

The Central African Republic will be able to count on some key reinforcements for their clash with Benin.

Geoffrey Kondogbia and Louis Mafouta feature in the first squad announced by the new manager, the Moroccan Abdelaziz Karkache, on Friday 6 November for the double-header against the Cheetahs, which count towards matchdays 3 and 4 of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Having been absent from the squad since March 2025, Geoffrey Kondogbia is thus making his return to the Fauves. The midfielder is also reunited with centre-forward Louis Mafouta, who did not take part in the last training camp. These are two important returns for a Central African team looking to strengthen its squad ahead of these two matches.

Noah Ato-Zandanga and Ghislain Mounguide are also back in the squad. The new manager is thus relying on several players who are already familiar with international football as he takes on his first challenges at the helm of the national team.

The Central African Republic will face Benin on 12 and 16 November. These two matches will see the Fauves attempt to bounce back following their two defeats in the first two matchdays of the qualifiers.