« I didn’t pay $500 for my spot in the team, so I was left out. » This damning testimony, reported by Sport News Africa and amplified by investigative journalist Romain Molina, lies at the heart of a corruption scandal rocking the Democratic Republic of Congo’s U17 national team ahead of the U17 Africa Cup of Nations.
According to multiple corroborating testimonies gathered by Sport News Africa, an organised kickback scheme was allegedly put in place within the DRC U17 setup. Players called up for the U17 AFCON were reportedly forced to hand back $500 — half of their $1,000 appearance bonus — to head coach Denis Makenga. In effect, earning a national team call-up came with a price tag. Those who refused to pay allegedly faced the consequences immediately: they were dropped from the squad and denied the chance to represent their country on one of Africa’s biggest youth stages.
The scandal is all the more damning given that the DRC had officially confirmed their squad on May 12, 2026, after satisfying the CAF-mandated MRI tests. As of now, neither the Congolese Football Federation (FECOFA) nor the CAF have officially announced disciplinary proceedings. However, the media spotlight has grown intense, particularly following the public intervention of Romain Molina, whose track record of exposing corruption in African football speaks for itself. Congolese football now demands answers — and fast.