Gabon National Team Suspended Indefinitely After AFCON 2025 Group Stage Collapse
In a shocking move, the Gabonese government has suspended the senior national football team, the Panthers, until further notice following their winless exit from the group stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.
The decision, announced on January 1, 2026, by acting Sports Minister Simplice-Désiré Mamboula during a televised address, also includes:
- Dissolution of the entire technical staff, ending head coach Thierry Mouyouma’s tenure
- Indefinite exclusion of star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and captain Bruno Ecuele Manga from future national team selection
Mamboula branded the team’s performances “disgraceful,” citing results that saw Gabon finish bottom of Group F with zero points after three defeats:
- 1-0 loss to Cameroon
- 3-2 loss to Mozambique
- 3-2 loss to defending champions Ivory Coast (despite taking a 2-0 lead before a late collapse)
Aubameyang, Gabon’s all-time leading scorer with around 40 goals, missed the final match due to a thigh injury and had returned to Olympique de Marseille. Ecuele Manga, the most-capped player with over 100 appearances, was dropped for the Ivory Coast game.
This rare direct government intervention in football affairs—once more common but now frowned upon by FIFA’s rules against political interference—could invite sanctions from the world governing body. The move reflects widespread frustration in Gabon and signals intent for a comprehensive overhaul of the national program under President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema.