World Cup
Burkina Faso recall Bertrand Traore for crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers
Burkina Faso captain Bertrand Traore has returned to the national team for the first time since November after recovering from a knee injury.
The Ajax forward headlines a 25-man squad named by coach Brama Traoré for the upcoming FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Djibouti and Guinea-Bissau later this month.
The squad also sees the return of several key players, including first-choice goalkeeper Hervé Koffi (Lens), defender Mohamed Ali Yabré (PSV Eindhoven), and midfielder Ismahila Ouédraogo (Atromitos), all of whom were absent in recent international windows.
Coach Brama Traoré will be looking to build momentum as Burkina Faso push for qualification to their first-ever FIFA World Cup.
The Stallions currently sit in a competitive qualifying group and will aim to take maximum points in the double-header against Djibouti and Guinea-Bissau.
Alongside Bertrand Traoré, other major returnees include defender Adamo Nagalo (PSV Eindhoven), midfielder Ibrahim Blati Touré (Pyramids FC), and winger Dango Ouattara (Bournemouth).
Their presence bolsters a team that struggled with absences in previous fixtures.
Goalkeeper Hervé Koffi, who has been Burkina Faso’s first-choice shot-stopper for several years, is back to take command between the posts.
His return provides stability in goal as the Stallions prepare for two crucial matches in their qualifying campaign.
New Faces in the Squad
Three players have earned their first national team call-ups. Mohamed Zougrana (MC Alger) joins the squad for the first time, while France-based duo Arsène Kouassi (Ajaccio) and Cyriaque Irié (Troyes) also receive their maiden selections.
Their inclusion highlights the coach’s intent to expand the talent pool and test fresh options ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.
Meanwhile, Josué Tiendrébéogo (Annecy), who made his international debut last November, keeps his place in the squad. Established names such as Edmond Tapsoba (Bayer Leverkusen), Steeve Yago (Aris Limassol), and Cédric Badolo (Spartak Trnava) also feature prominently.
Aziz Ki Left Out Again
Notably absent from the squad is Stéphane Aziz Ki (Young Africans), who is left out for the second consecutive international break.
His omission comes after he made headlines following his marriage to Tanzanian singer Hamisa Mobetto. The reasons for his continued absence remain undisclosed by the coach.
Squad Balance and Strength in Key Areas
Burkina Faso’s squad features a mix of experience and emerging talent across all positions. In goal, Koffi is supported by Sofiane Ouédraogo (AS Vita Club) and Kilian Nikiema (ADO Den Haag).
The defence is led by Bundesliga star Edmond Tapsoba, alongside Wolverhampton’s Yacouba Djiga, Werder Bremen’s Issa Kaboré, and RS Berkane’s Issoufou Dayo.
The midfield is packed with creative and defensive options, with Blati Touré, Cédric Badolo, and Mohamed Zougrana expected to play crucial roles.
In attack, Traoré’s return strengthens an already talented frontline, which also includes Dango Ouattara and Mohamed Konaté (Al-Riyadh).
Burkina Faso will look to make a statement in these qualifiers as they continue their quest for a historic place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Burkina Faso Squad
Goalkeepers: Hervé Koffi (Lens, France), Sofiane Ouédraogo (AS Vita Club, DRC), Kilian Nikiema (ADO Den Haag, Netherlands)
Defenders: Edmond Tapsoba (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Yacouba Djiga (Wolverhampton, England), Steeve Yago (Aris Limassol, Cyprus), Adamo Nagalo (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), Issa Kaboré (Werder Bremen, Germany), Mohamed Yabré (ASEC Mimosas, Ivory Coast), Arsène Kouassi (Ajaccio, France), Issoufou Dayo (RS Berkane, Morocco)
Midfielders: Mohamed Zougrana (MC Alger, Algeria), Ismahila Ouédraogo (Pansekairos, Greece), Saïdou Simporé (Al Masry, Egypt), Ibrahim Blati Touré (Pyramids FC, Egypt), Cédric Badolo (Spartak Trnava, Slovakia), Raouf Memel Dao (Sonabel, Burkina Faso), Josué Tiendrébéogo (Annecy, France), Salou Dramane (Hapoel Haifa, Israel)
Forwards: Dango Ouattara (AFC Bournemouth, England), Hassane Bandé (HJK Helsinki, Finland), Cyriaque Irié (Troyes, France), Lassina Traoré (Shakhtar Donetsk, Ukraine), Mohamed Konaté (Al-Riyadh, Saudi Arabia), Bertrand Traoré (Ajax, Netherlands)
-CAF
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With just a year to go until the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in the United States, concerns are mounting over the impact of extreme summer heat on players and fans.
According to experts interviewed by the BBC, FIFA may be forced to adjust match schedules drastically—possibly even staging the World Cup final as early as 9 a.m.—to mitigate the risks posed by soaring temperatures.
The warnings follow sweltering conditions witnessed during recent international and Club World Cup matches held in the U.S., where athletes and spectators alike were exposed to intense heat and humidity.
One of the leading voices raising the alarm is Professor Mike Tipton, an expert in thermal physiology at the University of Portsmouth. Speaking to BBC Sport, he emphasised the potential health risks of playing in extreme conditions and recommended that matches begin as early in the day as possible.
“From a thermo-physiological point of view, for health and performance reasons, I would look to start matches as early as possible,” Tipton stated, suggesting that even the final—traditionally held in the afternoon or evening—could be moved to a morning kickoff.
Tipton went further, noting that the ideal solution would be to host the tournament during a cooler time of year, as was done with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which was shifted to November and December due to extreme heat.
However, with the 2026 tournament already locked in for June 11 to July 19, FIFA’s only remaining flexibility lies in scheduling match times.
The 2026 edition will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico across multiple cities, some of which are known for intense summer heat.
Health experts are urging organisers to prioritise player safety and fan well-being, warning that failing to act could lead to performance issues, heat-related illnesses, or worse.
FIFA has yet to publicly comment on any proposed changes to match schedules, but as temperatures continue to rise, pressure is mounting for the governing body to take decisive action ahead of football’s biggest tournament.
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FIFA’s Global Football Development chief Arsene Wenger acknowledged that the quality of pitches hosting Club World Cup matches in the U.S. was not good enough, but insisted it would be better when the country co-hosts the 2026 World Cup.
The pitches, often very dry and sprinkled with water during cooling breaks or at halftime, have been widely criticised, mainly by coaches and players of the European teams taking part.
“I’ve been personally on the pitch at Orlando,” former Arsenal manager Wenger said on Saturday. “It’s not at the level that the European clubs are used to because it’s not perfect, but that will be rectified for the World Cup next year.”
Paris St Germain coach Luis Enrique raised the issue early in the expanded Club World Cup tournament.
“The ball bounces like a rabbit,” Luis Enrique said after his team’s opening 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid.
“Today, for example, the field used to be artificial turf, and now it’s natural grass laid over it, which means it has to be watered manually. It’s a big problem for the way we play.”
“FIFA really needs to take this seriously. Not just the stadium fields but also the training pitches. If we’re calling this the best club tournament in the world, it should have world‑class facilities. I can’t imagine an NBA game played on a court full of holes.”
-Reuters
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Congo will be allowed to continue participating in the World Cup qualifiers despite missing two fixtures in March when they were banned, world football’s governing body FIFA said on Wednesday.
Congo were suspended from February to May because of government interference in the running of their football association (FECOFOOT) but the ban was lifted when officials returned to their positions and were handed back access to their headquarters and technical training centre.
Sports minister Hugues Ngouelondele had appointed an ad-hoc committee last year to run the association, claiming it needed to sort out disputes among association office bearers, but FIFA suspended FECOFOOT due to third-party interference, which violates its statutes.
During the ban, Congo were not allowed to participate in any international competition, which meant they did not honour 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Tanzania and Niger in March.
A FIFA spokesman told Reuters the points from those fixtures were forfeited and a 3-0 victory awarded to their opponents.
But they will continue in the qualifiers when they resume in September, even if they have no chance of qualifying.
Congo are scheduled to play Tanzania at home in September and conclude their fixtures in October with matches at Niger and Morocco.
Congo have no points in the group, which Morocco lead with 15 points, six more than Tanzania in second place.
The group winner qualifies for next year’s World Cup in North America while the runner-up has a possibility to participate in playoffs if they are among the four best second-placed teams in the nine African qualifying groups.
FIFA has taken a hard line on government interference in football matters with the likes of Chad, Kenya, Pakistan and Zimbabwe among those banned in recent years.
Congo were African champions in 1972 but have never been to a World Cup.
-Reuters
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