The formalization of the partnership comes two months after the former Indomitable Lions defender and trainer was announced as head coach of the Central African Republic’s senior men’s national football team.
Song’s contract was signed on January 13 in the presence of the country’s Minister of Youth, Sport, and Civic Education, Rodolphe Heritier Doneng Wanzoumon. Under this agreement, Song will receive a monthly salary of 4.5 million FCFA. His appointment followed a meeting with Central African Republic President, Prof. Faustin-Archange Touadéra, after which he was introduced to the press in Bangui. However, the Central African Football Federation (FCF) has publicly declared that it does not recognize Song as the national team’s head coach, citing procedural violations. Despite the official contract signing, controversy continues to cloud Song’s appointment. The FCF maintains that it was neither consulted nor involved in the decision to name him as head coach.
The federation insists that the authority to recruit members of the national team’s technical staff lies exclusively with its Executive Committee. In a statement issued on January 14, the FCF reaffirmed its stance, “The Executive Committee of the Central African Football Federation, meeting in an extraordinary session, informs national and international stakeholders that it was neither involved in nor consulted on this decision. Consequently, it declares that it does not recognize this unilateral decision, which is contrary to existing regulations.”Drawing parallels to the conflict that occurred in Cameroon last year between FECAFOOT and the Ministry of Sports over the appointment of Marc Brys, the Central African federation has remained firm in rejecting Song’s appointment.
It has instead reiterated its commitment to working with Eloge Yamissi Enza, who served as interim head coach before Song’s arrival and whom the federation still considers as the rightful leader of the Wild Beasts. Sources indicate that the FCF intends to have Yamissi Enza lead the team during the upcoming international window, where CAR will face Madagascar and Mali in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The federation argues that Song’s appointment contradicts its policy of prioritizing local coaches for the national team’s leadership role. The ongoing dispute threatens to destabilize the national team’s preparations for crucial World Cup qualifying matches. The Central African Republic currently sits fifth in Group I with four points, having won one match, drawn one, and lost two. The team trails group leaders Comoros and Ghana by five points.
CAR is set to face Madagascar on March 17 before taking on Mali on March 24 in pivotal fixtures that could determine its qualification prospects. However, the leadership crisis may negatively impact team morale and performance. With uncertainty looming over the team’s technical direction, Song’s ability to implement his vision and strategies remains in jeopardy. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether a resolution can be reached between the government and the FCF, or if the power struggle will further undermine the Wild Beasts’ chances in the qualifiers.
