Burundi will take on Seychelles at the Honneur Stadium in Morocco on Tuesday as they look to strengthen their position in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Currently ranked 139th in the world, Burundi sit third in Group F with seven points from five matches, trailing first-placed Ivory Coast by six points.
A win against the group’s bottom side could help them stay within touching distance of the qualification spots.
The Swallows have endured an inconsistent campaign, and their hopes suffered another setback earlier this week when they lost 1-0 to Ivory Coast.
Evann Guessand’s early goal proved decisive, as Burundi failed to mount a comeback, handing them their second defeat in the group stage. Head coach Patrick Sangwa Mayani will be eager for his side to bounce back and return to winning ways against Seychelles.
Seychelles, meanwhile, have endured a disastrous qualifying run, losing all their matches so far. They are anchored at the bottom of Group F without a single point, having scored just two goals while conceding a staggering 25 times—the worst defensive record in the CAF qualifiers.
Their struggles began with a crushing 9-0 defeat to Ivory Coast, and they have since failed to recover, suffering a 3-0 loss to Gabon in their most recent outing on Thursday.
Burundi have dominated this fixture historically, winning all five of their previous encounters with Seychelles. In those meetings, the Swallows have netted nine goals while conceding only twice.
Notably, every match between the two sides has taken place in World Cup qualifiers, including their most recent clash in June 2023, where Burundi secured a 3-1 victory.
Ranked 201st in the world, Seychelles face an uphill battle against a much stronger Burundi side. Given their dismal form, the Pirates will need a major turnaround to secure their first points of the campaign, while Burundi will be determined to keep their qualification hopes alive with a much-needed victory.
