DR Congo’s campaign at the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) has taken a fresh turn for the worse after their early elimination was followed by a chaotic travel dispute that has left the squad stranded in Kenya.
The Leopards A’, beaten 3-1 by Morocco in their final group match, were knocked out of the competition at the first hurdle. But while their on-field disappointment was already difficult to digest, the aftermath has descended into confusion and frustration. Nearly 48 hours after their exit, the Congolese delegation remains in Nairobi, unable to return home as expected.
According to the specialist outlet Joueurs Congolais, the team was required under Confederation of African Football (CAF) regulations to vacate its allocated hotel within two days of elimination.
However, without a flight arranged to take them back to Kinshasa, the players and staff are still in Kenya, creating an atmosphere of unease and mounting criticism.
At the heart of the impasse is a failure to secure transport. Traditionally, sides knocked out of the tournament are expected to leave swiftly to allow CAF to manage logistical requirements for the competition. But in DR Congo’s case, no charter plane was organised for their return.
The squad has also refused to pay for commercial tickets themselves, insisting instead on the fulfilment of a pledge made by the Congolese government to provide a special flight. That commitment, however, has yet to materialise.
This latest crisis is another chapter in what has been a turbulent period for Congolese football. Just days earlier, captain Mika Miché publicly criticised the national setup for repeated organisational shortcomings, citing the cancellation of training camps and poor provision of meals as examples of ongoing failings. The travel stalemate has now reinforced perceptions of systemic dysfunction within the sport’s management.
The Congolese Football Federation (FECOFA) has so far remained silent on the issue, neither explaining the reasons for the delay nor offering clarity on when the team will be repatriated. The absence of an official response has only deepened uncertainty and fuelled debate across the domestic press and wider African football community.
For players, the situation extends beyond mere inconvenience. Many are eager to return to their clubs and resume their professional commitments, but the delay in Nairobi disrupts both their physical recovery and their reintegration into competitive football. Analysts argue that such episodes risk damaging not only morale but also the professional reputation of Congolese football internationally.
The consequences are also being felt among supporters, who have expressed anger at what they view as a double humiliation: first, an early and disappointing elimination from CHAN 2025, and second, the embarrassment of a travel debacle that has left their national team stranded abroad. For fans, the combination of sporting and organisational failure has proved particularly painful.
With each passing day, pressure grows on Congolese authorities to intervene and resolve the situation. Until then, the Leopards A’ remain marooned in Nairobi, their CHAN journey ending not with the quiet return of a defeated side, but with a public controversy that has highlighted once again the fragility of football governance in DR Congo.
