2026 World Cup: FIFA clears 2 recruits for Congo to play in African qualifying playoffs

By Canadian Press on November 12, 2025.

ZURICH (AP) — FIFA approved two soccer players to change national eligibility to Congo from Belgium ahead of 2026 World Cup qualifying playoffs for Africa starting Thursday.

Celtic forward Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Standard Liege goalkeeper Matthieu Epolo are now available to play for Congo against Cameroon in a playoffs semifinal.

Both players have Congolese family ties and were born in Belgium. They represented Belgium at youth and Under-21 level though not the senior national team, which let FIFA approve the changes.

FIFA said Epolo’s move was approved Wednesday and Balikwisha was cleared Tuesday.

The winner of Congo vs. Cameroon will advance to a playoff final Sunday against the winner of Nigeria vs. Gabon on Thursday. The entire playoff bracket is being played in Rabat, Morocco.

The African playoff winner advances to the six-team intercontinental playoffs in March that will send two teams to the World Cup being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Congo qualified for the World Cup just once, when as Zaire the team played at the 1974 edition in West Germany.

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The Associated Press