RCA reject Song appointment as head coach of Wild Beasts
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The Central African Football Federation (RCA) and the sports ministry are at loggerheads over the appointment of Rigobert Song as head coach of the national team.
Central African Republic had been on the lookout for a new man at the helm after Raoul Savoy was relieved of his duties in October 2024 following a failed 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
Song met with the country’s president, Faustin-Archange Touadera, on Monday and was handed the reins of the Wild Beasts by a government decree, which the RCA only learned about through social media.
The footballing governing body declared its “dismay and surprise” at the appointment on Tuesday after “not being consulted in the taking of this decision”.
RCA has rejected the mandate but “would like to avoid any action aimed at creating an unnecessary crisis between the ministry in charge of sports and the body in charge of management of Central African football”.
Song was most recently in charge of Cameroon, although he was dismissed in February 2024 after only reaching the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations round of 16, where his team lost 2-0 to eventual finalists Nigeria.
The 48-year-old will now focus on turning around Central African Republic’s fortunes in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup as they sit fifth in Group I, having won just one of their opening four matches.
