The Stallions’ head coach, Amir Abdou, unveiled a 25-man squad on Thursday 5 November 2026 for the double-header against Mauritania in the CAF 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Edmond Tapsoba and Dango Ouattara are among those called up.
Amir Abdou has made his choice. The Burkina Faso head coach publicly announced, at a press conference on Thursday 5 November 2026, a 25-man squad for the double-header against Mauritania, according to Lefaso.net via Cridem. The fixture falls in the CAF 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, where the Stallions are entering a decisive run of matches.
The Burkina Faso squad is built around a core of key men, such as defender Edmond Tapsoba, but also opens the door to several players set to establish themselves. The breakdown by position, as announced by the head coach, sets out Amir Abdou’s priorities ahead of a two-legged tie that leaves little margin.
A balance between key men and new faces
Three goalkeepers have been selected: Hervé Koffi, Kilian Nikiéma and Hilel Konaté. The defence is built notably around Yacouba Nasser Djiga, Edmond Tapsoba, Issa Kaboré and Issoufou Dayo, four names the staff deemed indispensable for this international window.
The midfield features Sacha Bansé, Ismahila Ouédraogo, Lohann Doucet, Mohamed Zoungrana and Josué Tiendrébéogo. In attack, Amir Abdou has called up Dango Ouattara, Aboubacar Sidiki Camara, Ousséni Bouda, Georgi Minoungou, Cyriaque Irié, Elohim Kaboré, Abdoul Fessal Tapsoba and Franck Lassina Traoré, eight players to drive the Stallions’ front line.
The full 25-man list also includes the names of Arsène Kouassi, Rachide Gnanou, Arthur Zagré and Mamoutou Ouédraogo, who add depth to Burkina Faso’s back line. The head coach has thus given himself several options in each position, a useful luxury across two matches in quick succession.
Two matches back to back
The first match is scheduled for 13 November 2026 at the Stade du 4-Août, according to Lefaso.net via Cridem. The calendar consulted on Qiumiwu lists the game on 14 November at 00:00, a discrepancy probably explained by a time zone and which the two sources do not formally settle.
The return leg is announced for 17 November in Nouakchott, at the Olympic Stadium in the Mauritanian capital, according to Lefaso.net via Cridem. Here too, the Qiumiwu calendar places the match on 18 November at 03:00, the same uncertainty over the exact kick-off time as for the first leg.
Both matches count towards the CAF 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. For Amir Abdou, the challenge is to launch the campaign on a solid footing, with a squad in which key men rub shoulders with players less experienced at international level.
What to watch
The presence of Edmond Tapsoba and Dango Ouattara in the squad confirms their status as benchmarks in the eyes of the head coach. Their combination with players such as Ismahila Ouédraogo or Sacha Bansé will shape the Stallions’ look at the Stade du 4-Août.
The report mentions no absences or injuries: the squad announced on Thursday is the one the staff presented to the press, and it remains the official reference for the two upcoming matches.
Burkina Faso therefore play the first leg at home before travelling to take on Mauritania on their own turf a few days later. The 25-man squad named by Amir Abdou will be judged on these two outings, with the aim of gaining an advantage in the race for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.