DR Congo head coach Sébastien Desabre is expected to unveil his squad on 6 November for the double-header against Sierra Leone. The Leopards, top of their group, will host their opponents on 12 November at the Stade des Martyrs.
DR Congo are gearing up for their return to action. According to Dailysports, Sébastien Desabre is expected to announce his squad on Friday 6 November, with the double-header against Sierra Leone in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers approaching.
A date keenly awaited, especially as the Leopards sit top of their group with six points from the first two matchdays. The head coach must juggle a tight schedule and an opponent whose venue for the return leg remains uncertain.
An unprecedented press conference
The novelty is not only the date. According to Dailysports, the squad will be unveiled at a press conference held at the headquarters of the Congolese Football Federation. Unlike previous announcements, Desabre will therefore face the media as he reveals his choices.
Caution is still warranted over the 6 November date. The source uses the conditional: the head coach “should announce” his squad.
Six points and a position to defend
On the pitch, DR Congo go into this international window with six points on the board, a perfect record from the first two matchdays of their group. That leading position puts the Leopards in a favourable spot, but it still needs to be consolidated.
The first match is set for 12 November at the Stade des Martyrs. A home game that Desabre’s team must handle without looking too far ahead to the return leg, scheduled five days later, on 17 November.
Because the venue for the return leg remains unclear. Sierra Leone do not have a CAF-approved stadium and are expected to host DR Congo in Morocco, according to Dailysports. That is a possibility, not a settled decision.
A tight schedule to manage
Between 12 and 17 November, the Leopards will have only a few days to play both games, with a trip whose final destination has not yet been officially confirmed.
The 6 November press conference should shed more light on the shape of this international window. If the scenario is confirmed, the return leg, scheduled for 17 November, will be played in Morocco.