Kinshasa, December 17th, 2025 (CPA). – DRC Coach Sébastien Desabre on Wednesday unveiled the official list of 28 players selected for the 2025 African Cup of Nations (CAN) football tournament, scheduled to take place from December 21st, 2025 to January 18th, 2026 in Morocco, the CPA learned from the Congolese Football Association (Fecofa). « DRC coach Sébastien Desabre has unveiled the list of 28 players selected for the 35th African Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025. Players Bertaud Dimitri and Dylan Batubinsika have joined the squad, » the statement read. A
ccording to the Fecofa website, consulted by the ACP on Wednesday, the list has been expanded from 26 to 28 players. ‘The French coach of the Congolese national team had published a list of 26 players at the beginning of this month. He has strengthened his list with the call-up of goalkeeper Dimitri, who is currently without a club, and defender Batubinsika, who is not being used by Saint Étienne, for their contribution to the DRC’s qualification for the CAN.’ It was from Alicante in Spain, where the Leopards are in training camp in preparation for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, that Sébastien Desabre announced the list of 28 players he has selected for the competition.
According to the national team’s schedule, the DRC delegation will leave Spain on Thursday and head to Rabat, the capital of the Kingdom of Morocco, which is hosting the competition, after the Leopards’ 2-0 victory in a friendly match against Zambia’s Chipolo-Polos on Tuesday, with goals from Arthur Maswaku (21st) and Rocky Bushiri (71st).
The complete list of the 28 ambassadors of the DRC at CAN 2025
Goalkeepers: Matthieu Epolo (Standard Liège), Timothy Fayulu (Noah), Lionel Mpasi (Le Havre) and Bertaud Dimitry
Defenders: Rocky Bushiri (Hibernian), Gédéon Kalulu (Aris Limassol), Steve Kapuadi (Legia Warsaw), Joris Kayembe (Racing Genk), Arthur Masuaku (Sunderland), Chancel Mbemba (Lille), Axel Tuanzebe (Burnley), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham) and Dylan Batunbinsika (Saint Etienne) Midfielders: Théo Bongonda (Spartak Moscow), Michel-Ange Balikwisha (Glasgow Celtic), Brian Cipenga (Castellón), Edo Kayembe (Watford), Nathanaël Mbuku (Montpellier, Ligue 2, France), Samuel Moutoussamy (Atromitos), Ngal’ayel Mukau (Lille), Charles Pickel (Espanyol), Noah Sadiki (Sunderland) and Mario Stroeykens (Anderlecht). ACP/