Omna Taddele
March 21, 2026AFCON (Q): Chad final squad announced as they prepare for Burundi showdown
Photo: Chadian Football Federation
AFCON (Q): Chad final squad announced as they prepare for Burundi showdown
Chad coach Raoul Savoy has named a 28-man squad to face Burundi in their upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) preliminary round doubleheader. The Swiss head coach has summoned players from the local league and abroad as they prepare to face Burundi after conducting a training camp for local-based players over the past couple of weeks.
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Cameroon-based goalkeeper Gabin Allambatnan has received his first call-up since November 2024. The Coton Sport custodian will be vying for the starting position against locally based Mathieu Adoassou.
The defense has seen only a few newcomers. Italy-based Franky Tchaouna has been called up after the 2026 FIFA World Cup African Qualifier matches, where he showed his worth against Mali. Young Africans midfielder Lassine Kouma is also included in the squad.
Türkiye-based striker Marius Mouandilmandji is a key player up front, with Franck Tchaouna, Celestin Ecua, and Brahim Mahmat all retaining their places after the November edition of friendly games.
Savoy comments on the objectives of AFCON preparations
In a press conference held in the capital, N’Djamena, Savoy told local reporters that the national team camp in Morocco in November helped the team find its true identity.
“Our last structured training camp took place in Morocco, where we played friendly matches against Uganda and Mozambique. It gave us clarity on many things: the group’s desire, the team spirit, the way we work, and the objectives we were going to set for them.
Obviously, in Sombala, we were not aware that CAF would surprise us with a preliminary match scheduled for March. So, since January, when we learned this news, we immediately focused on this objective, which is just one step that we will approach in the best possible way in order to qualify for the group stage afterwards.”
The former Central African Republic and Gambia head coach added that the preliminary round games being played in March have had no impact on his charges. “It has had no impact on the long-term technical work, because we know that a group and a team are not built overnight, but over a clearly defined period.”
Les Sao, as they are nicknamed, have never qualified for AFCON. Nonetheless, they have been competing in the qualifiers since 1992. They were disqualified from the qualifiers in 2021 and banned in 2019. They also withdrew from the qualifiers in 1994 and 2017.
