Seychelles government threatens CAF challenge after Bazar Brothers miss Confederation Cup tie

The Seychelles government is prepared to challenge the Confederation of African Football (CAF) after PTL Bazar Brothers failed to travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo for their CAF Confederation Cup first-leg tie against DC Virunga because of health concerns linked to an Ebola outbreak.

The match, which was scheduled for Sunday, 6 September at the TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi, did not take place after the Seychelles club remained at home. The Congolese football federation confirmed that Bazar Brothers were absent from the country and that CAF would subsequently notify the parties of its decision on the fixture.

Seychelles authorities say they had raised concerns about the trip with CAF approximately two weeks before the match, arguing that the health situation made it unsafe for the club’s delegation to travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to the Seychelles side, an official letter and statement were submitted to support their position, while the authorities also proposed that the fixture be moved to a neutral venue.

Tanzania was among the alternatives suggested, but Seychelles officials claim their proposals were not accepted and that CAF instead insisted that Bazar Brothers travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo and fulfil the first-leg fixture.

The club ultimately did not leave Seychelles.

That decision meant DC Virunga’s preparations for the match came to nothing. The Congolese side had travelled to Lubumbashi and was ready to play, but CAF’s match commissioner, Nimubona Arcade, informed the relevant parties during the technical meeting that the Seychelles club had not arrived in the country.

FECOFA said the stadium would not be opened to spectators and that neither Virunga nor the appointed match officials would attend the venue, following instructions from CAF.

The dispute now places CAF in the position of having to determine the sporting and disciplinary consequences of the abandoned fixture.

A decision could have major implications for the tie, particularly because the two clubs were drawn to meet over two legs in the first preliminary round of the 2026-27 Confederation Cup. CAF’s original draw placed DC Virunga at home in the first leg before the return fixture in Seychelles.

The situation also comes as both clubs make their debut in the Confederation Cup. CAF listed PTL Bazar Brothers and DC Virunga among 17 clubs making their first appearances in the competition this season.

For Bazar Brothers, however, the focus has shifted from their continental debut to a dispute over player safety and CAF’s handling of the fixture.

Seychelles authorities maintain that the club should not have been compelled to travel while the health concerns remained unresolved. They believe a neutral venue would have provided a compromise that allowed the tie to proceed without exposing the delegation to the risks they had identified.

CAF’s position, according to the Seychelles side, was that Bazar Brothers should travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo and honour the fixture.

With the Seychelles delegation staying home, Sunday’s match became a non-event.

The Congolese side and local football authorities must now wait for CAF’s official ruling, while Seychelles has signalled that it is ready to take the matter further if it believes its concerns and proposals were unfairly disregarded.

The dispute could therefore extend beyond the football pitch, with the Seychelles government considering a formal challenge to CAF over the decision-making process.

For now, there is no sporting result from the first leg and no official ruling on the consequences of Bazar Brothers’ absence. CAF is expected to communicate its decision to the parties involved.

The second leg is currently scheduled for 13 September, but the status of the tie could depend on CAF’s ruling over the missed first leg.