Madagascar to use COSAFA Cup as preparation for CHAN

Photo Credit: Fédération Malagasy de Football.

Drawn in Group C alongside Morocco and Eswatini, Madagascar have outlined their 2025 COSAFA Cup strategy ahead of the tournament in South Africa from 5 to 14 June, 2025.

The Malagasy Football Federation (FMF) has made it crystal clear that their participation in the premier regional football competition was not about winning the championship in Bloemfontein.

In a statement, FMF says the Barea want to use the COSAFA Cup to prepare for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) finals.

It adds: “The BAREA A' staff wants to take advantage of COSAFA to test the players and strengthen the team's cohesion.”

To achieve this objective, coach Corentin Martins has called up 44 home-based players, whose identities are yet to be publicized, for preliminary camp training in Antananarivo.

The FMF says this initial camp training will observe potential players and establish an initial selection. This will be followed by a second training session from May 26, 2025, to “bring together a smaller group of players selected after the first phase.”

The association adds: “This regrouping will allow for more in-depth tactical work before departing for South Africa for the COSAFA Cup, which will provide a good level of competition.”

At the COSAFA Cup, Madagascar will meet a familiar foe in Eswatini, an opponent the islanders beat 2-1 on aggregate to qualify for the CHAN finals.

Madagascar will open their COSAFA Cup campaign with a meeting against Morocco on June 6, 2025, at Toyota Stadium, before taking on Eswatini three days later at Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium.