FIFA clears two recruits for Congo

ZURICH, Switzerland:

FIFA approved two soccer players to change national eligibility to Congo from Belgium ahead of 2026 World Cup qualifying play-offs for Africa, which started on Thursday.

Celtic forward Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Standard Liege goalkeeper Matthieu Epolo are now available to play for Congo against Cameroon in a play-off semi-final.

Both players have Congolese family ties and were born in Belgium. They represented Belgium at youth and under-21 levels, though not the senior national team, which let FIFA approve the changes.

FIFA said Epolo's move was approved on Wednesday and Balikwisha was cleared on Tuesday.

The winner of Congo vs Cameroon will advance to a play-off final on Sunday against the winner of Nigeria vs. Gabon on Thursday. The entire play-off bracket is being played in Rabat, Morocco.

The African play-off winner advances to the six-team intercontinental play-offs in March that will send two teams to the World Cup being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Congo qualified for the World Cup just once, when as Zaire, the team played at the 1974 edition in West Germany.

- AP