Football: Seychelles Caf 2026 World Cup qualifiers |15 November 2023

The Seychelles delegation at the airport yesterday

Youngest team for biggest match

Seychelles will field what is probably its youngest senior men’s team for its biggest game ever against past World Cup finalists Côte d’Ivoire in Abidjan on Friday.

The Seychelles team, made up mostly of players from 17 to 25 years old, left yesterday evening to start their 2026 Confederation of African Football (Caf) group F World Cup qualifying campaign against Côte d’Ivoire and Kenya.

They will play away to Côte d’Ivoire on Friday November 17 and home against Kenya in Abidjan on Monday November 20. The Ivorians have agreed that Seychelles play its home match against Kenya in Abidjan because of the lack of a homologated stadium in Seychelles.

The Seychelles delegation of 23 players and nine officials was seen off at Seychelles International Airport by the vice-president of the Seychelles Football Federation (SFF) Dolor Ernesta.

Gabon, Gambia and Burundi are the other three teams making up Group F, but Côte d’Ivoire is the only one who have made it to the World Cup finals previously.

Côte d’Ivoire qualified for the finals in 2006, 2010 and 2014 with their best result being a 17th position out of 32 teams in 2010.

They will be vying to finish at the top of group F as only the winners of the nine groups will qualify automatically for the 2026 World Cup final to be played for the first time in three countries – Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The four best second-placed teams across the nine groups will then compete in an African playoff stage to determine Caf’s representative at the Fifa playoff mini tournament where the two final teams to join the 2026 World Cup finals will be decided.

The Seychelles delegation is as follows:

Players: Evans Adrienne (Real Maldives), Carlos Simeon and Lance Ernesta (foreign based), Marcus Payet and Helton Monnaie (La Passe), Stephan Morgan (Côte d’Or), Nick Labiche, Sebastien Larue,  Rhio Damoo, Lucas Panayi (Rovers), Brandon Labrosse, Ryan Henriette, Makan Cissoko (Foresters), Stephan Ladouce, Majid Freminot, Gervais Waye-hive (St Louis), Bertrand Esparon, Noris Bibi (Bel Air), Eli Sopha, Imra Raheriniaina (St Michel), Frederick Renaud (Marine Maintenance), Kenner Nourice (Bazar Brothers).

Officials: Jonathan Paul (head of delegation), Ralph Jean-Louis (lead coach), Basil Hoareau (assistant coach), Donald Monnaie, Julien Rouillion, Martin Rodriguez, Riffi Mandanda and Dylan Paul.

Contributed