Season Opener Slipped to 27 September
The 2025-2026 national calendar published by Fécofoot originally fixed 13 September for the first round. A week before that date, the federation announced a new kick-off on 27 September, explaining that access to major stadiums in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire and Dolisie still lacked ministerial clearance.
- Season Opener Slipped to 27 September
- Safety and Compliance Take Centre Stage
- Clubs Counting the Cost of Inactivity
- Players Keep Fit in Unofficial Tournaments
- Behind the Institutional Rift
- Historic Usage Agreements Resurface
- Ignié Centre Emerges as Plan B
- What Fans Stand to Lose
- Broadcast Partners Await Certainty
- Regional Competitiveness at Stake
- Government Emphasises Harmonious Solution
- Fécofoot Keeps Tone Conciliatory
- Financial Safeguards Under Discussion
- Players’ Union Calls for Deadlines
- Fans Plan Symbolic March
- Countdown to Decision Day
Safety and Compliance Take Centre Stage
Officials at the Ministry of Sports say the delay is rooted in security upgrades and technical adjustments demanded by CAF and FIFA. Routine inspections highlighted emergency exits, perimeter fencing and broadcast facilities that need reinforcement before large crowds can be welcomed, according to a senior adviser who requested anonymity.
Clubs Counting the Cost of Inactivity
The 16 Ligue 1 sides have already spent a blank 2024-2025 season paying wages without gate revenue. AS Otohô vice-president Guy-Florent Mabiala estimates monthly losses at three million CFA francs per club, adding that “two consecutive dark years would drain academies and push talent abroad”.
Players Keep Fit in Unofficial Tournaments
Without official fixtures, many professionals have turned to community tournaments on Brazzaville’s sandy pitches. Striker Yann Mavoungou, 24, says these games help maintain rhythm but lack medical cover and scouting exposure. “Our careers depend on a proper league,” he stresses after a training session in Makélékélé.
Behind the Institutional Rift
Observers link the impasse to a still-simmering dispute that followed FIFA’s lifting of its short suspension of Fécofoot. Some ministry officials felt the federation should place its finances and planning directly under governmental supervision, while Fécofoot invokes statutes granting sporting autonomy recognised by CAF and the Olympic charter.
Historic Usage Agreements Resurface
Fécofoot reminds decision-makers of 20-year protocols signed in 2014 and 2016 giving it priority use of Alphonse-Massamba-Débat, Municipal and Paul-Sayal-Moukila stadiums in return for FIFA-funded synthetic turf installation. The ministry counters that any facility, even under protocol, must satisfy current continental standards before competitive matches resume.
Ignié Centre Emerges as Plan B
If city venues stay closed, Fécofoot proposes relocating early rounds to the National Technical Centre at Ignié, 40 km north of Brazzaville. Minor pitch levelling, locker-room expansion and temporary stands could be completed in two weeks, engineers say. Transport logistics for teams from Pointe-Noire remain the main hurdle.
What Fans Stand to Lose
Congo’s top flight draws around 5 000 spectators per match in Brazzaville and double that for derbies in Pointe-Noire. Vendor Micheline Banzila earns her family income selling grilled chicken outside Massamba-Débat. “No games, no market,” she sighs, pointing to her unsold stock during last weekend’s friendly.
Broadcast Partners Await Certainty
State-run Télé Congo set aside prime weekend slots for live coverage and negotiated advertisement packages worth an estimated 200 million CFA francs. Programmes director Jean-Ernest Ndinga warns that repeated postponements could force a schedule reshuffle, risking penalties from sponsors eager for consistent national airtime.
Regional Competitiveness at Stake
Neighbouring leagues in Gabon and Cameroon are already three rounds in, meaning their clubs accumulate match sharpness before the next CAF interclub draws. Former national captain Luc-Marius Mimbala notes that “when our sides enter continental qualifiers rusty, the gap becomes tactical and mental, not just physical”.
Government Emphasises Harmonious Solution
A spokesperson for the Sports Ministry insists dialogue remains open, saying the objective is “a championship that meets safety benchmarks and showcases our football in the best light”. Both parties met briefly last week and agreed to exchange technical reports within ten days, according to the same source.
Fécofoot Keeps Tone Conciliatory
Federation president Jean-Guy Blaise Mayolas, re-elected in July, welcomes the ministry’s focus on standards and pledges full cooperation. “We share the same ambition: seeing our youth back on the pitch,” he told reporters, declining to comment on past differences and urging supporters to stay patient.
Financial Safeguards Under Discussion
One compromise reportedly on the table is a joint monitoring committee overseeing gate receipts and maintenance funds, thereby reassuring public authorities while protecting the federation’s autonomy. Economic analyst Armando Bilombo believes such a model could unlock future public-private investment in stadium infrastructure across the country.
Players’ Union Calls for Deadlines
The National Footballers Union has asked both institutions to publish a clear timeline by mid-September. Union secretary Rosa Mvoutoukoulou fears prolonged uncertainty could trigger contract disputes. “Athletes have mortgages and families like everyone else. Training without competition is not sustainable,” she warns.
Fans Plan Symbolic March
Supporter groups from Diables Noirs and Vita Club Mokanda propose a peaceful march in Brazzaville on 20 September to encourage an agreement. Organiser Clément Mbemba says the initiative respects civic rules: “We simply wish to remind all decision-makers that football unites our communities.”
Countdown to Decision Day
As 27 September draws nearer, every stakeholder weighs costs of another dark season against the benefits of a league aligned with CAF and FIFA expectations. Optimism cautiously prevails that a balanced solution will emerge, letting the first whistle echo through Congo’s stadiums once again.
