Central African Republic national football team

The team made its debut under the name of Ubangi-Shari in 1956 against French Cameroon. The Central African Football Federation was founded in 1961 and joined FIFA in 1964 and CAF in 1965.

Their first competitive match was in the 1961 Friendship Games in Ivory Coast where Central African Republic drew twice against Upper Volta and Liberia before losing to the hosts and failing to progress to the next round.

Central African Republic entered the 1974 African Cup of Nations qualification for the first time, progressing due to Gabon's withdrawal but were then eliminated 5–4 on aggregate by Ivory Coast, a tie which saw the second leg abandoned at half-time after arguments between players of both sides, forcing a replay in Lagos which Ivory Coast won 5–1.

They took part in 1984 UDEAC Cup where they qualified to the knock-out rounds on goal-difference over Equatorial Guinea but were then heavily beaten by Cameroon 7–1 before beating Gabon on penalties to finish third. However in the 1988 UDEAC Cup, Gabon would get their revenge, beating Central African Republic in the semi-finals. The following year Central African Republic would host the 1989 UDEAC Cup, making it to the finals, beating Gabon on the way, before losing 2–1 to Cameroon.

During the 1990s, Central African Republic played very few international games, withdrawing from the 1996 African Cup of Nations qualification without playing a match. They returned to competition in the UNIFAC Cup in 1999, winning three times and losing twice to finish second.

Central African Republic participated in the 2002 World Cup qualifiers for the first time, losing in the first round to Zimbabwe. They reached the final of the inaugural CEMAC Cup, losing to an amateur Cameroon team that they'd drawn with a week earlier in the tournament.

In 2009, Central African Republic hosted the 2009 CEMAC Cup where they defeated Equatorial Guinea 3–0 in the final, with goals from Salif Kéïta and a brace from Hilaire Momi to claim their first trophy.

During the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Central African Republic achieved a historic 2-0 home victory over the top seeded Algeria, a team that had recently competed at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In July 2011, they climbed to 89th place in the FIFA world rankings, having occupied 202nd place as recently as August 2010.

On 2 June 2012, they obtained their first victory in World Cup qualification, beating Botswana 2–0 at home. Despite that positive result, Central African Republic finished bottom of their group. On 15 June 2012, despite being reduced to ten men, they achieved another impressive victory, beating Egypt 3–2 in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, inflicting the first home defeat on the Egyptians in AFCON qualifiers since 1965. Thanks to a 1–1 draw at home in the second leg, Central African Republic eliminated the Egyptians, but in the second round they were defeated by Burkina Faso.

On 30 March 2021, in the last group stage match of the Africa Cup of Nations qualification, Central African Republic lost 1–0 at home against Mauritania to finish bottom of their group; hence, they missed the opportunity, had they won, to finish second which would have qualified them for the final tournament for the first time in their history.[5]

The following players were selected for the 2023 AFCON qualification matches against Madagascar on 23 March & 27 March 2023.[6]

Caps and goals as of 27 March 2023, after the match against Madagascar.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
	1GK	Alladoum Kolimba	(1987-08-11) 11 August 1987	2	0	Katsina United
	1GK	Dominique Youfeigane	(2000-02-07) 7 February 2000	2	0	Guingamp
	1GK	Marcellin Biandao	(1992-10-29) 29 October 1992	0	0	TP USCA Bangui
	2DF	Flory Yangao	(2002-01-13) 13 January 2002	17	0	Olympic Real de Bangui
	2DF	Thibault Ban	(1996-08-13) 13 August 1996	16	0	Anges de Fatima
	2DF	Freeman Niamathé	(1999-03-12) 12 March 1999	14	0	Red Star Bangui
	2DF	Peter Guinari	(2001-06-02) 2 June 2001	12	0	Wiltz 71
	2DF	Dylan Mboumbouni	(1996-02-20) 20 February 1996	8	0	Mioveni
	2DF	Sidney Dambakizi	(1996-03-07) 7 March 1996	5	0	Anges de Fatima
	2DF	Jacob Youmbi	(1994-04-01) 1 April 1994	4	0	Naft Al-Basra
	2DF	Donald Guesset	(1996-01-11) 11 January 1996	3	0	Anges de Fatima
	2DF	Tony Biakolo	(2006-08-27) 27 August 2006	1	0	Toulouse
	2DF	Riphat Pounayo		0	0	Anges de Fatima
	3MF	Tresór Toropité	(1994-07-31) 31 July 1994	20	3	AS Otohô
	3MF	Geoffrey Kondogbia	(1993-02-15) 15 February 1993	12	1	Atlético Madrid
	3MF	Isaac Ngoma	(2002-12-09) 9 December 2002	11	3	Prison Leopards
	3MF	Brad Pirioua	(2000-03-06) 6 March 2000	6	0	Istres
	3MF	Samuel Nlend	(1995-03-15) 15 March 1995	5	1	Bisha
	3MF	Noah Ato-Zandanga	(2003-07-05) 5 July 2003	4	0	Santanyí
	3MF	Donald Benamna	(1996-09-14) 14 September 1996	3	0	Northern Colorado Hailstorm
	3MF	Ghislain Vénuste Baboula	(1998-08-23) 23 August 1998	3	0	Racing CFF
	4FW	Louis Mafouta	(1994-07-02) 2 July 1994	19	10	Quevilly-Rouen
	4FW	Karl Namnganda	(1996-02-08) 8 February 1996	10	2	La Roche Vendée
	4FW	Lobi Manzoki	(1996-10-12) 12 October 1996	3	0	Dalian Pro
	4FW	Yassan Ouatching	(1998-11-28) 28 November 1998	3	0	Hearts of Oak
	4FW	Eleoenai Tompte	(1999-01-18) 18 January 1999	2	0	Siegendorf

The following players have also been called up to the Central African Republic squad within the last twelve months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Emmanuel Takolingba	(2001-10-24) 24 October 2001	2	0	Tempête Mocaf	v.  Ghana, 5 June 2022
GK	Cédric Zouangba	(1999-03-16) 16 March 1999	2	0	DFC8	v.  Ghana, 5 June 2022
DF	Sadock Ndobé	(1998-09-09) 9 September 1998	18	0	Tempête Mocaf	v.  Ghana, 5 June 2022
DF	Cyriaque Mayounga	(2000-10-04) 4 October 2000	2	0	Free agent	v.  Ghana, 5 June 2022
DF	Bissafi Dotté	(1999-07-02) 2 July 1999	0	0	Campbell Fighting Camels	v.  Ghana, 5 June 2022
MF	Theodor Yawanendji	(2002-05-16) 16 May 2002	5	1	Gasogi United	v.  Ghana, 5 June 2022
MF	Soleil Mongolobao	(2001-06-20) 20 June 2001	2	0	Olympic Real de Bangui	v.  Ghana, 5 June 2022
FW	Georgino M'Vondo	(1997-08-12) 12 August 1997	11	0	Biesheim	v.  Ghana, 5 June 2022
FW	Christopher Fourmy	(1993-04-08) 8 April 1993	1	0	Stade Poitevin	v.  Ghana, 5 June 2022
INJ Withdrew due to injury PRE Preliminary squad RET Retired from the national team SUS Serving suspension WD Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.