Kinshasa, November 9th, 2026 (CPA).- A local player from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Magloire Ntambwe of TP Mazembe, has been called up by the Leopards’ manager, Sebastien Desabre, to replace the injured Willy Kambwala for the match against Sierra Leone in Group E of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, according to a statement.
“The Congolese Football Association (Fecofa) informs the sporting community of the withdrawal of Willy Kambwala, who has been replaced by Magloire Ntambwe of TP Mazembe. The Federation wishes Willy Kambwala a speedy recovery,” it is read.
According to the source, his selection thus puts an end to the debate over the non-selection of local players for the national team under Sebastien Desabre, who, on Friday, during his press conference regarding the publication of the list of 26 Leopards selected for the double-header against Sierra Leone, had remarked that DRC, a country brimming with talent, is hampered by a lack of sports infrastructure capable of fostering their development.
At the same time, he had made it clear that the door to the national team was not closed to them and that some of them were awaiting a call-up should the opportunity arise.
Be that as it may, the Leopards’ pre-match gathering for this match against Sierra Leone is now imminent. The first leg of the match against Sierra Leone, scheduled for Match day 3 of Group E, is set to take place on Thursday, November 12th, at the Martyrs Stadium in Kinshasa, at 5.00 pm local time.
The return leg, which forms part of Match day 4 in the same group, is due to take place on Tuesday, November 17th, in Casablanca, Morocco – chosen by Sierra Leone as their home venue due to the presence of a national stadium approved by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
For these two fixtures, the Leopards’ head coach, Sebastien Desabre, has unveiled his list of 26 players selected for both matches at a press conference held on Friday, November 6th, at Fecofa headquarters.
Notable returns include the striker Cedric Bakambu and the goalkeeper Timothy Fayulu. The absence of Theo Bongonda is also one of the notable aspects of this squad selection. During this press conference, according to the French coach, his players will aim to perform well in both matches – without underestimating either – in order to secure their qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals. ACP/