Rayon Sports Miss Out on League Title as Coach Luc Eymael Departs Over Unpaid Wages
Rayon Sports, one of Rwanda’s most decorated football clubs, has seen a bittersweet end to its league campaign. While the club narrowly missed out on clinching the national championship—surrendering the title to fierce rivals APR FC—they still have a shot at silverware with the Rwanda Cup final on the horizon in June.
However, their hopes of lifting the cup will proceed without head coach Luc Eymael, whose departure has cast a shadow over an otherwise strong second half of the season. The Belgian tactician, who steered Rayon to an impressive 34 points from a possible 39 in the second round—scoring 32 goals and conceding just 13—has left the club due to financial disagreements.
According to sources close to the coach, Eymael has not received his salary for the past two months. The club’s inability to settle these arrears before the expiration of his contract, scheduled for the end of June, forced him to terminate his stay prematurely.
Eymael’s departure is a significant blow to Rayon Sports, who have seen a marked improvement under his guidance. His tactical acumen and leadership were pivotal in reigniting the club’s form, pushing them to challenge APR in the title race and securing a place in the domestic cup final.
Despite the financial difficulties and now the absence of their coach, Rayon will aim to salvage their season by winning the Rwanda Cup. However, the uncertainty surrounding the coaching staff and internal management could disrupt preparations and dampen morale ahead of the crucial fixture.
As the club seeks to stabilize its off-pitch issues, fans and stakeholders will be closely watching how Rayon navigates this turbulent end to the season. For Luc Eymael, who has managed clubs across Africa, this marks another chapter closed—one that showed promise on the field, but was ultimately overshadowed by financial instability off it.
Rayon Sports now face the immediate task of appointing an interim coach to lead the team into the final, while also addressing broader structural challenges if they are to restore stability and ambition ahead of the next season.
