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War disrupts football league in DRC
M23 rebels stand guard near civilians during a meeting organised by the M23 at the Stade de l'Unite, after the town of Goma was taken by the M23 rebels, in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, February 6, 2025.
What you need to know:
- As the war continues to disrupt daily life, the fate of the national championship remains uncertain. Mwehu acknowledged that if the league cannot conclude by May 31, officials may seek special exemptions.
- "If we don't manage to finish by May 31, it's possible that we'll ask for derogations. But Fecofa has first asked us to do everything we can to draw up a calendar that will allow us to respect the sporting season," he said.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) national football championship is set to conclude on May 31, but the ongoing war in North and South Kivu has thrown the competition into disarray.
Several matches are no longer being played, and three teams—Dauphin Noir, L'Etoile du Kivu, and Bukavu Dawa—are stuck, uncertain of how to continue.
Despite the escalating conflict, Bosco Mwehu, chairman of the national football league (Linafoot), remains hopeful.
"We're not going to exclude these teams. We're saying that this situation is still temporary," Mwehu stated.
He emphasised that no special measures would be implemented for now, as the crisis in Eastern Congo qualifies as a "case of force majeure" under the league’s regulations.
"The teams from the east of the country are still part of Linafoot, so we'll be meeting very soon to work out how we're going to proceed. But otherwise, the decision to resume with the return phase has been taken by Fecofa (the Congolese Football Federation)," he added.
The conflict has made travel nearly impossible for the affected teams. The two clubs from Bukavu and the one from Goma have been unable to reach Kindu to face Association Sportive Maniema Union in a scheduled match.
The situation reflects the broader crisis engulfing the DRC, where M23 rebels have seized control of territories, appointing their own governors in Goma and Bukavu. This parallel administration has disrupted economic, political, and even sporting activities in the region.
Faced with the deteriorating security situation, some players—particularly those not originally from Kivu—fled to Kalemie in Tanganyika province. However, many remain stranded due to financial constraints, unable to return to Kinshasa.
"Before the worst could happen, we took the initiative to leave Bukavu. We walked 22 kilometers from Nya-Ngezi to Kamanyola," recounted one of the displaced players.
As they fled, they encountered both Wazalendo militias and FARDC (Congolese armed forces).
“We were searched at every barrier,” they said.
Meanwhile, in Lubumbashi, DRC’s second-largest city and home to major football clubs like TP Mazembe and CS Saint Eloi Lupopo, the war is affecting the sport in different ways.
In mid-February, during a match between Lupopo and Don Bosco, a group of fans sang songs praising the M23 rebels and Corneille Nangaa, the former electoral commission chief now aligned with the rebel movement. The incident sparked controversy in the city, where football often intertwines with politics.
CS Saint Eloi Lupopo’s chairman, Jacques Kyabula, is the provincial governor and a close ally of President Félix Tshisekedi, while TP Mazembe and Don Bosco are owned by opposition leader Moïse Katumbi. The chants were perceived as a political manoeuvre, further fueling tensions.
“Politicians who are losing ground should not use football to position themselves,” said Jean-Luc Kapend, administrative secretary of CS Saint Eloi Lupopo.
As the war continues to disrupt daily life, the fate of the national championship remains uncertain. Mwehu acknowledged that if the league cannot conclude by May 31, officials may seek special exemptions.
"If we don't manage to finish by May 31, it's possible that we'll ask for derogations. But Fecofa has first asked us to do everything we can to draw up a calendar that will allow us to respect the sporting season," he said.
For now, Congolese football, like the country itself, is caught in the grip of conflict.