Comoros national football team
Nickname(s) | Les Coelacantes (The Coelacanths) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Association | Fédération de Football de Comores (FFC) | |||
Confederation | CAF (Africa) | |||
Sub-confederation | COSAFA (Southern Africa) | |||
Head coach | Stefano Cusin | |||
Captain | Nadjim Abdou | |||
Most caps | Youssouf M'Changama (60) | |||
Top scorer | Ben Nabouhane (17) | |||
Home stadium | Stade Omnisports de Malouzini | |||
FIFA code | COM | |||
| ||||
FIFA ranking | ||||
Current | 117 4 (4 April 2024)[1] | |||
Highest | 117 (April 2024) | |||
Lowest | 207 (December 2006) | |||
First international | ||||
Mauritius 3–0 Comoros (Saint-Denis, Réunion; 26 August 1979) | ||||
Biggest win | ||||
Comoros 7–1 Seychelles (Mitsamiouli, Comoros; 1 September 2021) | ||||
Biggest defeat | ||||
Réunion 6–1 Comoros (Saint-Denis, Réunion; 31 August 1979) Madagascar 5–0 Comoros (Victoria, Seychelles; 20 August 1993) Mauritius 5–0 Comoros (Curepipe, Mauritius; 4 September 2003) | ||||
Africa Cup of Nations | ||||
Appearances | 1 (first in 2021) | |||
Best result | Round of 16 (2021) | |||
COSAFA Cup | ||||
Appearances | 6 (first in 2008) | |||
Best result | Quarter-finals (2019) |
The Comoros national football team represents the Comoros in international football and is controlled by the Comoros Football Federation.[3] It was formed in 1979, joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 2003, and became a FIFA member in 2005. Comoros qualified for their first major tournament in 2021, after their 0–0 draw with Togo assured them of a place in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.[4]
History[edit]
The national football team of the Comoros played their first matches in the 1979 Indian Ocean Island Games. Those were the only games they played until qualification for the 2009 Arab Nations Cup in 2006. Those two matches were their first two matches with full FIFA recognition, and included a 4–2 victory over Djibouti. In 2007, Comoros first entered qualification for the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations for the 2010 tournaments, but lost in the preliminary round 2–10 on aggregate to Madagascar.
During the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in October 2015, Les Coelacantes advanced past the first round for the first time ever by beating Lesotho on away goals after two draws. Since then results have improved steadily, including home wins against Botswana, Mauritius and Malawi in Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
On 14 November 2019, Comoros opened their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign with a 0–1 win away to Togo, their first away win in a major qualifier. They would go on to qualify for the final tournament, their first major tournament since joining FIFA.[4]
In the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, Ahmed Mogni scored a brace for Comoros in their 3–2 group match victory over Ghana in what the BBC described as "one of the biggest shocks in Nations Cup history".[5]
In the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Comoros were the only unbeaten team within Group I after they won 4-2 against Central African Republic and 1-0 against Ghana, with both games being played at home.[6] They then lost 2-1 against Madagascar.
Results and fixtures[edit]
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
Win Draw Loss Fixture
2023[edit]
28 March 2023 AFCON qualification | Comoros | 0–2 | Ivory Coast | Moroni, Comoros |
15:00 UTC+3 | Report |
|
Stadium: Stade Omnisports de Malouzini Referee: Peter Waweru (Kenya) |
17 June 2023 AFCON qualification | Lesotho | 0–1 | Comoros | Johannesburg, South Africa |
16:00 UTC+2 | Report |
|
Stadium: Orlando Stadium Referee: Celso Armindo Alvação (Mozambique) |
6 July 2023 COSAFA Cup | Seychelles | 0–3 | Comoros | Durban |
15:00 | Report | Stadium: King Zwelithini Stadium |
9 July 2023 COSAFA Cup | Zambia | 2–1 | Comoros | Durban |
15:00 | Report |
|
Stadium: King Zwelithini Stadium |
11 July 2023 COSAFA Cup | Malawi | 2–0 | Comoros | Durban |
15:00 | Report | Stadium: Chatsworth Stadium |
9 September 2023 AFCON qualification | Comoros | 1–1 | Zambia | Moroni, Comoros |
22:00 UTC+3 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Stade Omnisports de Malouzini Referee: Pacifique Ndabihawenimana (Burundi) |
17 October Friendly | Cape Verde | 1–2 | Comoros | Istres, France |
|
|
Stadium: Stade Parsemain |
17 November 2026 World Cup Qualification | Comoros | 4–2 | Central African Republic | Moroni, Comoros |
16:00 UTC+3 | Report | Stadium: Stade de Moroni Referee: Ibrahim Kalilou Traore (Ivory Coast) |
21 November 2026 World Cup Qualification | Comoros | 1–0 | Ghana | Moroni, Comoros |
19:00 UTC+3 |
|
Report | Stadium: Stade de Moroni Attendance: 11,628 Referee: Abdel Aziz Mohamed Bouh (Mauritania) |
2024[edit]
22 March Friendly | Comoros | 4–0 | Uganda | Marrakech, Morocco |
21:00 UTC±0 | Report | Stadium: Stade de Marrakech |
7 June 2026 World Cup qualification | Madagascar | v | Comoros | Johannesburg, South Africa |
18:00 UTC+2 | Stadium: FNB Stadium |
11 June 2026 World Cup qualification | Chad | v | Comoros | Oujda, Morocco |
17:00 UTC+1 | Stadium: Stade Municipal d'Oujda |
2025[edit]
March 2026 World Cup qualification | Comoros | v | Mali |
March 2026 World Cup qualification | Comoros | v | Chad |
September 2026 World Cup qualification | Mali | v | Comoros |
October 2026 World Cup qualification | Comoros | v | Madagascar |
October 2026 World Cup qualification | Ghana | v | Comoros |
Coaching history[edit]
- Pierre Jacky (1985)
- Ali Mbaé Camara (2006–2007)
- Manuel Amoros (2010)
- Mohamed Chamité (2010–2011)
- Ali Mbaé Camara (2011–2013)
- Amir Abdou (2014–2022)
- Younes Zerdouk (2022–2023)
- Stefano Cusin (2023–present)
Coaching staff[edit]
Position | Name |
---|---|
Head coach | Stefano Cusin |
Assistant coaches | Davide Cusin Aboubakar Houmadi |
Goalkeeping coach | Faisal Soilihi |
Fitness coach | Youssouf Omar |
Match analyst | Said Hamadi |
Technical director | Ali Mbaé Camara |
Players[edit]
Current squad[edit]
The following players were called up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Central African Republic and Ghana on 17 and 21 November 2023.[7]
Caps and goals correct as of 21 November 2023, after the match against Ghana.
Recent call-ups[edit]
The following players have been called up for the team within the last 12 months and are still available for selection.
Player records[edit]
- As of 21 November 2023[8]
- Players in bold are still active with the Comoros.
Most appearances[edit]
Rank | Player | Caps | Goals | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Youssouf M'Changama | 59 | 12 | 2010–present |
2 | Benjaloud Youssouf | 42 | 4 | 2015–present |
3 | Fouad Bachirou | 41 | 0 | 2014–present |
4 | Nadjim Abdou | 40 | 0 | 2010–present |
Mohamed Youssouf | 40 | 3 | 2011–present | |
6 | Ibroihim Youssouf | 38 | 8 | 2017–present |
7 | Ben Nabouhane | 37 | 17 | 2014–present |
8 | Ali Ahamada | 36 | 0 | 2016–present |
9 | Saïd Bakari | 34 | 0 | 2017–present |
Ali M'Madi | 34 | 0 | 2010–present |
Top goalscorers[edit]
Rank | Player | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ben Nabouhane | 17 | 37 | 0.46 | 2014–present |
2 | Youssouf M'Changama | 12 | 59 | 0.2 | 2010–present |
3 | Ibroihim Youssouf | 8 | 38 | 0.21 | 2017–present |
4 | Faïz Selemani | 4 | 28 | 0.14 | 2017–present |
Ahmed Mogni | 4 | 30 | 0.13 | 2015–present | |
Benjaloud Youssouf | 4 | 42 | 0.1 | 2015–present | |
7 | Ali Nassim M'Changama | 3 | 11 | 0.27 | 2019–present |
Raïdou Boina Bacar | 3 | 21 | 0.14 | 2015–present | |
Mohamed Youssouf | 3 | 40 | 0.08 | 2011–present | |
10 | Myziane Maolida | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2023–present |
Soulaimane Athoumane | 2 | 3 | 0.67 | 2011 | |
Affane Djambae | 2 | 3 | 0.67 | 2023–present | |
Ahmed Saïd Anfane | 2 | 4 | 0.5 | 2006–2011 | |
Faiz Mattoir | 2 | 11 | 0.18 | 2020–present | |
Mohamed Mouigni | 2 | 11 | 0.18 | 2003–2010 | |
Abdallah Saïd Sadad | 2 | 11 | 0.18 | 2019–present | |
Djamel Bakar | 2 | 16 | 0.13 | 2016–2018 | |
Mohamed M'Changama | 2 | 20 | 0.1 | 2010–2021 |
Competitive record[edit]
FIFA World Cup[edit]
FIFA World Cup | Qualification | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | ||
1930 to 1974 | Part of France | Part of France | ||||||||||||||
1978 to 2006 | Not affiliated with FIFA | Not affiliated with FIFA | ||||||||||||||
2010 | Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | |||||||||
2014 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | ||||||||||
2018 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||
2022 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||
2026 | To be determined | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | |||||||||
2030 | To be determined | |||||||||||||||
2034 | ||||||||||||||||
Total | 0/4 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 23 |
Olympic Games[edit]
Olympic Games record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Appearances: 0 | ||||||||
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
1900 to 1972 | Part of France (FRA) | |||||||
1976 to 1992 | Not affiliated with the IOC | |||||||
1996 to 2004 | Not affiliated with FIFA | |||||||
2008 | Did not enter | |||||||
2012 | ||||||||
2016 | ||||||||
2020 | ||||||||
2024 | To be determined | |||||||
Total | 0/27 |
- Football at the Summer Olympics has been an under-23 tournament since the 1992 edition.
Africa Cup of Nations[edit]
Africa Cup of Nations record | Qualification record | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | ||
1957 | Part of France | Part of France | |||||||||||||||
1959 | |||||||||||||||||
1962 | |||||||||||||||||
1963 | |||||||||||||||||
1965 | |||||||||||||||||
1968 | |||||||||||||||||
1970 | |||||||||||||||||
1974 | |||||||||||||||||
1976 | Not a member of CAF | Not a member of CAF | |||||||||||||||
1978 | |||||||||||||||||
1980 | |||||||||||||||||
1982 | |||||||||||||||||
1984 | |||||||||||||||||
1986 | |||||||||||||||||
1988 | |||||||||||||||||
1990 | |||||||||||||||||
1992 | |||||||||||||||||
1994 | |||||||||||||||||
1996 | |||||||||||||||||
1998 | |||||||||||||||||
2000 | |||||||||||||||||
2002 | |||||||||||||||||
2004 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||||
2006 | |||||||||||||||||
2008 | |||||||||||||||||
2010 | Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | ||||||||||
2012 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 14 | |||||||||||
2013 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||||
2015 | Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||
2017 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 7 | |||||||||||
2019 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 10 | |||||||||||
2021 | Round of 16 | 16th | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 7 | Squad | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | ||
2023 | Did not qualify | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 8 | ||||||||||
2025 | To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||||
2027 | |||||||||||||||||
Total | Round of 16 | 1/34 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 7 | — | 36 | 7 | 9 | 20 | 25 | 57 |
African Games[edit]
African Games record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Appearances: 0 | ||||||||
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
1965 to 1973 | Part of France (FRA) | |||||||
1978 to 1991 | Not affiliated with the IOC | |||||||
1995 | Did not enter | |||||||
1999 | ||||||||
2003 | ||||||||
2007 | ||||||||
2011 | ||||||||
2015 | ||||||||
2019 | ||||||||
Total | 0/12 |
- Prior to the Cairo 1991 campaign, Football at the All-Africa Games was open to full senior national teams.
African Nations Championship[edit]
African Nations Championship record | African Nations Championship Qulaification record | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Appearances: 0 | Appearances: 5 | ||||||||||||||
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
2009 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
2011 | |||||||||||||||
2014 | Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | ||||||||
2016 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
2018 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | |||||||||
2020 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||
2022 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||
2024 | To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||
Total | - | 0/7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 11 |
COSAFA Cup[edit]
COSAFA Cup record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Appearances: 6 | ||||||||
Year | Round | Result | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
1997 to 2007 | Not affiliated with COSAFA | |||||||
2008 | Group stage | 11th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
2009 | 5th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |
2010 | Cancelled | |||||||
2013 | Did not enter | |||||||
2015 | ||||||||
2016 | ||||||||
2017 | ||||||||
2018 | Group stage | 12th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
2019 | Quarter-finals | 8th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
2020 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | |||||||
2021 | Withdrew | |||||||
2022 | Group stage | 12th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
2023 | 8th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | |
Total | Quarter-finals | 6/22 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 28 |
Indian Ocean Island Games[edit]
Indian Ocean Island Games record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Appearances: 10 | ||||||||
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
1979 | Bronze medalists | 3rd | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 12 |
1985 | Bronze medalists | 3rd | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
1990 | Fourth place | 4th | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
1993 | Group Stage | 5th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
1998 | 5th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | |
2003 | Fourth place | 4th | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12 |
2007 | Group stage | 6th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
2011 | 5th | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |
2015 | 7th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | |
2019 | 5th | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | |
2023 | Fourth place | 4th | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
Total | Bronze medalists | 11/11 | 33 | 5 | 6 | 22 | 20 | 72 |
Arab Nations Cup/FIFA Arab Cup[edit]
FIFA Arab Cup record | FIFA Arab Cup qualification record | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Appearances: 0 | |||||||||||||||||
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |||
1963 | Part of France | Part of France | |||||||||||||||
1964 | |||||||||||||||||
1966 | |||||||||||||||||
1985 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||||
1988 | |||||||||||||||||
1992 | |||||||||||||||||
1998 | Withdrew | Withdrew | |||||||||||||||
2002 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||||
2009 | Did not qualify 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | ||||||||||
2012 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||||
2021 | Did not qualify | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | ||||||||||
Total | 0/10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
^1 The 2009 edition was cancelled during qualification.
Arab Games[edit]
Arab Games record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Appearances: 0 | ||||||||
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
1953 to 1965 | Part of France (FRA) | |||||||
1976 to 1992 | Not affiliated with the UANOC | |||||||
1997 | Did not enter | |||||||
1999 | ||||||||
2004 | No tournament | |||||||
2007 | Did not enter | |||||||
2011 | ||||||||
Total | 0/11 |
Head-to-head record[edit]
As of 24 January 2022
Opponent | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Botswana | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Burkina Faso | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 |
Burundi | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
Cameroon | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | −4 |
Djibouti | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 |
Egypt | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | −4 |
Eswatini | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | −3 |
Gabon | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 |
Ghana | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 |
Guinea | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
Ivory Coast | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 |
Kenya | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
Lesotho | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 |
Libya | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | −2 |
Madagascar | 9 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 25 | −22 |
Malawi | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | −2 |
Maldives | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 5 | +4 |
Mauritania | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
Mauritius | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 22 | −16 |
Mayotte | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2 |
Morocco | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 |
Mozambique | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 12 | −11 |
Namibia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | −4 |
Palestine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | −4 |
Réunion | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 13 | −9 |
Seychelles | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 3 | +7 |
Sierra Leone | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 |
Togo | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 7 | −3 |
Uganda | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | −2 |
Yemen | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2 |
Zambia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | −5 |
Zimbabwe | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2 |
29 Countries | 89 | 16 | 22 | 51 | 62 | 156 | −93 |
References[edit]
- ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 8 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ Vickers, Steve (24 October 2009). "BBC SPORT | Football | African | Comoros make steps forward". BBC News. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
- ^ a b "Comoros achieve fairytale Nations Cup qualification". BBC Sport. 25 March 2021. Archived from the original on 25 March 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
- ^ Stevens, Rob (18 January 2022). "Ghana dumped out of Afcon by Comoros". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ "World Cup 2026 qualifying: Ghana shocked by Comoros, Senegal and Cameroon held". BBC News. 21 November 2023. Archived from the original on 22 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
- ^ "La Liste". Twitter. Comoros Football 269. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ Zimmerman, Benjamin. "Comoros". National Football Teams.
External links[edit]
- FFC official website
- Comoros at CAF
- Comoros at FIFA
- Bourtney, Barri. Comoros – List of International Matches± at RSSSF.com (Last updated: January 31, 2008)