Chad national football team

History

The Chadian Football Federation was founded in 1962 and became affiliated to FIFA and CAF in 1988.

Chad's national football team did not play a big role in world football until the 1990s. They did not enter any qualifiers for Continental or World Cups until the early 1990s when they played their first qualifying matches for the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by Senegal. Until then, they played mostly friendly matches and minor cups, mostly with African teams.

The national team had a difficult start − the first match they ever played was in the L'Amitié Tournament, which took place in Senegal in 1963, and it was a 2–1 defeat to Liberia. Soon after, they suffered a 6–2 loss to Dahomey (now Benin).

The Chad national football team never qualified for either the Africa Cup of Nations or the World Cup. Their first participation in the World Cup qualifiers was in 2000 when they were eliminated in the first round by Liberia, losing 0–1 at home, and playing 0–0 away. They were coached by Marcel Mao. Their next attempt was in 2003, under Yann Djim, but they were eliminated by Angola. They won their first home game when Francis Oumar Belonga scored a hat trick, 3–1. They lost their away match 2–0, and went no further. The qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup brought more matches because they played in a group phase together with Mali, Sudan and Congo. They finished at the bottom of the group, with six points (two wins and four losses).

In the qualifying competition for the 2014 World Cup, Chad faced Tanzania in a first-round playoff. Tanzania advanced despite shockingly losing 1–0 at home at Dar es Salaam's National Stadium. The Taifa Stars were tipped for an emphatic victory over the visitors, having won the first-leg 2–1 in N'Djamena. Chad stunned the home side three minutes after the break when Mahamat Ahmat Labo struck to silence the home crowd. But Tanzania managed to progress to the next round thanks to the away goals rule as they were tied 2–2 on aggregate.

Chad played against Malawi in the qualifiers for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. Chad won the first leg match 3–2, but lost 2–0 in Blantyre to be eliminated with an aggregate score of 4–3.

In the qualifiers for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, Malawi was the opponent once again. Chad lost 2–0 in the first leg at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre, but they won 3–1 in at Idriss Mahamat Ouya Stadium in N'Djamena, losing on the away goals rule. Forward Robin Ngalande turned into a savior for Malawi when he came off the bench to score a crucial late goal.

The biggest achievement for Chad so far is a CEMAC Cup (Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa) title in 2014, after beating Congo 3–2 in the final on December 14 in Bata, Equatorial Guinea. French-born Emmanuel Trégoat managed the team. Their previous best was a second place in the 2005 edition, when they lost to Cameroon in the final.

Les Sao had a disappointing start into their qualifying campaign for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, losing 2–0 to Nigeria and slumping to a 5–1 defeat at home against Egypt. But it was then that things took a turn for the better, as coach Moudou Kouta, who was in charge of the side on an interim basis, took the team to an unexpected victory against Sierra Leone in the first round of the qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup. Les Sao won 1–0 at home and even though they were beaten 2–1 in the return leg, they advanced to the second round of the qualifiers on away goals. Chad sensationally defeated Egypt 1–0 at home in the second round before falling to a 4–0 defeat in Alexandria three days later.

In March 2016, the Chadian Football Federation announced they were withdrawing from the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification due to financial problems. The team was subsequently banned from entering the following edition, meaning they would play no official games for over three years until September 2019, when Chad lost 1–3 at home to Sudan in 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification. A month later Les Sao defeated Liberia on penalties to reach the Group Stage of 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification.

In March 2021, the Chadian government dissolved the Chadian Football Federation, leaving Chad facing a likely ban under FIFA regulations that prevent governments from interfering in the running of a country's football team. In April 2021, FIFA announced an indefinite ban from global football, citing the Chadian government's interference. Due to this decision, CAF disqualified Chad from its participation in the 2021 AFCON qualifiers.

Kits

During the independence of Chad, the team competed in international matches and played in a blue shirt, blue shorts, and red socks. These are the national colours of the French flag. In the 1970s, Chad's home colors changed to blue-yellow-red. Their first away kit in 1960 was white shirt, red shorts, and white socks. In 1980, the away kit color changed into red shirt, blue shorts, and yellow socks.

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

2025

• Semenyo
• Williams
• Ayew
• Salisu
• Nuamah
• Ecua
• J. Ayew
• Caddy
• Raveloson
• Abdallah
• Allarabaye
• K. Doumbia
• Ecua
• Mouandilmadji
• Mokonou
• Baboula
• Namnganda
• Lorenzen
• Mouandilmadji
• M. Thiam
• Catamo
• Gildo

2026

Current staff

Coaching history

• Soviet Union Vasily Sokolov (1967–1971)
• Soviet Union Anzor Kavazashvili (1976–1977)
• Chad Yakia Aoudou (1985)
• Chad Moussarou Ngongolo (1998)
• Chad Yann Djim Ngarlendana (1998)
• Chad Douba Djibrine (1999)
• France Marcel Mao (2000)
• Cameroon Jean Paul Akono (2002–2003)
• Chad Yann Djim Ngarlendana (2003)
• Chad Yann Djim Ngarlendana (2005–2006)
• Chad Moudou Kouta (2006)
• Chad Natoltiga Okalah (2006–2007)
• Chad Mahamat Adoum (2007)
• Chad Natoltiga Okalah (2008)
• Egypt Sherif El-Khashab (2009–2011)
• Chad Moudou Kouta (2011–2013)
• France Emmanuel Trégoat (2014–2015)
• Cameroon Rigobert Song (2015)
• Chad Moudou Kouta (2015–2016)
• Chad Djimtan Yatamadji (2019)
• France Emmanuel Trégoat (2019–2020)
• Chad Djimtan Yatamadji (2020–2023)
• Chad Kévin Nicaise (2023–2025)
• Chad Tahir Gardia (2025–present)

Players

Current squad

The following players have been called up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF Group I matches against Mali and Central African Republic on 8 and 12 October 2025; respectively.

Caps and goals current as of 8 October 2025, after the match against Mali.

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up for Chad in the last 12 months.

Player records

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Competitive record

FIFA World Cup

Africa Cup of Nations

Head-to-head records against other countries

Honours

Regional

• CEMAC Cup
  • Champions (1): 2014
  • Runners-up (1): 2015
• UDEAC Championship
  • Runners-up (2): 1986, 1987

References

References

1. Ramadane, Mahamat. "Tchad : La liste des 22 joueurs retenus pour le match contre le Nigeria".
2. {{NFT player
3. (1 March 2015). "Ligue des champions : les équipes tchadiennes éliminées".
4. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Marius Mbaiam".
5. "FIFA Tournaments - Players & Coaches - Karl Marx Barthélémy".
6. "Semen Padang Resmi Kontrak Striker Asal Chad".
7. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Ezechiel Ndouassel".
8. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Casimir Ninga".
9. "Fifa bans Chad from global football". BBC Sport.
10. "World Football Elo Ratings: Chad".
11. "Malawi rallies to beat Chad in Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers". Malawi Nyasa Times.
12. (25 March 2015). "Emmanuel Tregoat : " on s'est fait cambrioler notre vestiaire à la mi-temps, à domicile "".
13. "allAfrica.com: Chad Emerge Winners of 2014 Cemac Cup".
14. "2018 FIFA World Cup Russia - Matches - Chad-Sierra Leone".
15. "2018 FIFA World Cup Russia - Matches - Sierra Leone-Chad".
16. "Chad FA disbanded, facing Fifa ban".
17. "Political meddling gets Chad kicked out of AFCON qualifiers".
18. "Yakia Aoudou (Coach)".
19. "Chad v Congo, 02 August 1998".
20. "Congo v Chad, 16 August 1998".
21. "International Matches 1999 - Africa".
22. "Coupe de la CEMAC 2005".
23. "Do your homework Bafana".
24. ER. (5 March 2007). "Coupe Cemac 2007 : Les Saos domptent les Lions A' 2 à 1".
25. (16 June 2007). "Zambia : Chad leave Zambia in a dust storm".
26. "TCHADSPORT - Page 17".
27. "TCHADSPORT".
28. (2 October 2025). "Le sélectionneur national a dévoilé la liste des joueurs retenus pour les deux rencontres des Sao face au Mali (8 octobre) et à la RCA (12 octobre), au Stade Olympique Idriss Deby Itno". Fédération Tchadienne de Football Association.
29. "General Information for Chad".