As the CAF qualifiers for FIFA World Cup 26™ resume on 19 March, a wave of coaching changes across African national teams has set the stage for an intriguing showdown. With qualification spots for the USA, Mexico, and Canada up for grabs, teams are banking on new leadership to reinvigorate their campaigns.
One of the most talked-about moves is Aliou Cisse, former Senegal coach, now at the helm of Libya.
Despite a successful nine-year tenure that saw him deliver Senegal’s first-ever Africa Cup of Nations title in 2021, his departure last October shocked the continent.
Now, with Libya sitting second in Group D, Cisse is tasked with leading the Mediterranean Knights to a historic World Cup berth.
Meanwhile, Eric Chelle, after an underwhelming stint with Mali, takes charge of Nigeria’s Super Eagles. Nigeria, alarmingly in fifth place in Group C, desperately needs Chelle to steady the ship and rekindle their qualifying hopes.
Several nations have turned to familiar faces to steer their World Cup aspirations. Tunisia welcomes back Sami Trabelsi to guide them through Group H, where they sit comfortably atop.
Michel Dussuyer returns for a third stint with Guinea, while Rigobert Song takes on a new challenge as coach of the Central African Republic after his heroics with Cameroon in Qatar 2022.
New faces include South African legend Benni McCarthy, now coaching Kenya, and Serbia’s Veselin Jelusic, who takes over in Lesotho. McCarthy, known for his attacking prowess on the field, will aim to instil his dynamic style in Kenya’s squad.
The qualifiers for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, held earlier this year, also played a significant role in these coaching shake-ups. Nations that failed to qualify, such as Togo and Madagascar, have made bold changes to their leadership, hoping to reverse their fortunes in World Cup qualifying.
As the clock ticks down to matchday five, the stakes couldn’t be higher. African football fans are in for a thrilling ride as teams jostle for one of the coveted spots on the world’s biggest football stage.
