Togo_national_football_team

Togo national football team

Togo national football team

Team representing Togo in international football

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Togo women's national football team.

The Togo national football team (French: Équipe nationale de football du Togo) represents Togo in international football and is controlled by the Togolese Football Federation. The national football team of Togo made their debut in the FIFA World Cup in 2006. Their team bus underwent a fatal attack in Angola prior to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. They withdrew and were subsequently banned from the following two tournaments by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). In 2013 for the first time in history, Togo reached the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations. The team represents both FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Quick Facts Nickname(s), Association ...
Members of the Togolese national football team before a warm-up match in Biberach/Riss a few days before the 2006 World Cup

History

They made their first FIFA World Cup appearance in their history in 2006, having been coached throughout the qualifying campaign by Stephen Keshi; German coach Otto Pfister managed the team at the finals, despite having resigned three days before their first match over a players' bonuses dispute, only to be persuaded by the players to return. Prior to gaining independence in 1960, the team was known as French Togoland.

2006 World Cup

Togo lost their opening game of the World Cup, despite having taken the lead against South Korea through a goal by Mohamed Kader. In the second half, Jean-Paul Abalo was sent off after 55 minutes, and goals from Lee Chun-Soo and Ahn Jung-Hwan sealed a 2–1 defeat for Togo.

Togo's next opponents in Group G were Switzerland, with the match scheduled for the afternoon of 19 June. However, the Togo squad and manager Pfister threatened to refuse to fulfill the fixture and take strike action. The squad and manager had been quoted as requesting payments from the Togolese Football Federation for participating in the tournament of around €155,000 (US$192,000) with added bonuses for victories or draws. FIFA negotiated with the squad and manager on 17 June, persuading them to travel to Dortmund in time to fulfill the fixture;[3] goals from Alexander Frei and Tranquillo Barnetta resulted in a 2–0 defeat. FIFA subsequently imposed a CHF100,000 fine on the Togolese federation for "behaviour unworthy of a participant in the World Cup."

Togo's final group game against France ended in a 2–0 defeat.

Sierra Leone air disaster

Main article: 2007 Paramount Airlines helicopter crash

After a 2008 African Nations Cup qualifier away to Sierra Leone on 3 June 2007, 20 members of a delegation of sports officials from Togo, including Togolese Sports Minister Richard Attipoe, were killed when their helicopter exploded and crashed at Lungi International Airport. No players of the Togo national team were among the victims. The Togo players and officials of the team had been waiting to take the next helicopter flight to the island on which the airport is located.

2010 bus ambush and ban

Main article: Togo national football team attack

On 8 January 2010, the Togo team bus was attacked by gunmen as it travelled to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, killing three and injuring several others. The separatist group Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC) claimed responsibility for the attack. Goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilalé was reported dead a day after the attack, though he actually survived.[4] Such reports were later dismissed by his club GSI Pontivy in a press announcement, stating the player was actually undergoing surgery in South Africa.[5]

Following the bus ambush attack, the Togolese Football Federation stated that they would withdraw from the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations; despite claims that the team had since reversed the decision and would compete "to show our national colours, our values and that we are men" (as announced by Thomas Dossevi),[6] the government later ordered that the team return home.[7]

Following the team's withdrawal, The Confederation of African Football (CAF) banned Togo from participating in the next two editions of the Cup of Nations and fined them US$50,000 because of the "decision taken by the political authorities".[8][9][10] The CAF executive Committee considered that the Togolese team was in "forfeit notified less than twenty days before the start or during the final competition" (Art. 78 of the Regulations for the Africa Cup of Nations),[8][11] rather than having withdrawn (Art. 80), and refused to consider the circumstances as force majeure (Art. 87). Togo's government immediately said they would sue as CAF "have no consideration for the lives of other human beings" and this is further "insulting to the family of those who lost their lives and those traumatized because of the attack".[9] FIFA has yet to comment on the issue.[9] Togo footballer Thomas Dossevi said, "We are a group of footballers who came under fire and now we can't play football anymore. They are crushing us".[9] Togolese captain Emmanuel Adebayor described the decision as "outrageous" and said that CAF President Issa Hayatou had "completely betrayed" the Togo squad.[12]

As a result of the events, Emmanuel Adebayor announced his retirement from international football on 12 April 2010. But on 22 March 2011, Adebayor announced that he was again available for the national team.

Fake Togo Team

On 7 September 2010, Togo allegedly played Bahrain in a friendly losing the match 3–0. However, on 14 September, the Togo FA claimed that a fake team had played against Bahrain. Togo's Sports Minister Christophe Tchao said to the Jeune Afrique magazine that nobody in Togo had "ever been informed of such a game".[13] On 20 September 2010, it was revealed that former Togo manager Bana Tchanilé was the culprit and the Togo FA have given him a three-year ban in addition to the two-year ban he got in July 2010 for taking Togo players to play a tournament in Egypt.[14] The match fixing has been linked to Wilson Raj Perumal and the Singaporean match-fixing syndicate allegedly run by Tan Seet Eng.[15]

2014 World Cup Qualification

Togo began qualification for the 2014 World Cup on 11 November 2011, against Guinea-Bissau. They drew in the first leg 1–1. On 15 November 2011, they won the return leg 1–0. On 3 June 2012, they played Libya in Lome and drew 1–1. Shortly after on 10 June they played Congo DR at Kinshasa and lost 2–0. They resumed on 3 March 2013, and played Cameroon in Yaounde and lost 2–1. They met again on 9 June in Lome and Togo won 2–0. In the end, Togo failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixture

2023

14 June Friendly Togo  2–0  Lesotho Johannesburg, South Africa
16:00 UTC+2 Agbagno 4'
Denkey 22'		 Report Stadium: Bidvest Stadium
18 June 2023 AFCON qualification Eswatini  0–2  Togo Mbombela, South Africa
17:00 UTC+2 Report
Stadium: Mbombela Stadium
Referee: Peter Waweru (Kenya)
10 September 2023 AFCON qualification Togo  3–2  Cape Verde Lomé, Togo
16:00 UTC±0
Report
Stadium: Stade de Kégué
Referee: Ibrahim Mutaz (Libya)
16 November 2026 World Cup qualification Sudan  1–1  Togo Benina, Libya
18:00 UTC+2
Report
Stadium: Martyrs of February Stadium
Referee: Andofetra Rakotojaona (Madagascar)
21 November 2026 World Cup qualification Togo  0–0  Senegal Lomé, Togo
16:00 UTC±0 Report Stadium: Stade de Kégué
Referee: Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria)

2024

5 January Friendly Togo A'  0–3  Algeria Lomé, Togo
21:00 UTC±0 Report (FAF)
Stadium: Stade de Kégué
Referee: Raphiou Ligali (Benin)
22 March Friendly Niger  1–2  Togo Mohammedia, Morocco
22:00 UTC±0 55' Report Dermane 60, 65' Stadium: El Bachir Stadium
26 March Friendly Togo  1–1  Libya Casablanca, Morocco
22:00 UTC+1 Tchakei 39' Report Krawa'a 37' Stadium: Père Jégo Stadium
5 June 2026 World Cup qualification Togo  1–1  South Sudan Lomé, Togo
16:00 UTC±0
Report
Stadium: Stade de Kégué
Referee: Celso Alvação (Mozambique)
9 June 2026 World Cup qualification DR Congo  v  Togo Kinshasa, DR Congo
17:00 UTC+1 Report Stadium: Stade des Martyrs

Coaches

Caretaker managers are listed in italics.

Players

Current squad

The following players were selected for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Sudan and Senegal on 16 and 21 November 2023.[16]

Caps and goals correct as of 21 November 2023, after the match against Senegal.

More information No., Pos. ...

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up for Togo in the last twelve months.

More information Pos., Player ...

Records

As of 21 November 2023[17]
Players in bold are still active with Togo.

Most appearances

Abdoul-Gafar Mamah is Togo's most capped player with 93 appearances.
More information Rank, Player ...

Top goalscorers

Emmanuel Adebayor is Togo's top scorer with 32 goals.
More information Rank, Player ...

Competition records

FIFA World Cup

See also: Togo at the FIFA World Cup
More information FIFA World Cup, Qualification ...

2006 FIFA World Cup starting lineup

Africa Cup of Nations

More information Africa Cup of Nations record, Year ...

African Nations Championship

More information African Nations Championship record, Appearances: 1 ...

African Games

More information African Games record, Year ...

Honours

References

  1. [1]
    Mamrud, Roberto. "Abdoul-Gafar Mamah - International Appearances". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2022-12-09. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
  2. [2]
    "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  3. [3]
    "Sky Sports | Football News". Home.skysports.com. Archived from the original on 2007-01-25. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
  4. [4]
    "African Cup of Nations — NoConfusion over Togo death toll". Reuters. 2010-01-09. Archived from the original on 2010-01-12. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  5. [5]
    "Kodjovi Obilalé n'est pas décédé des suites de ses blessures (Agence AFP)" (in French). Archived from the original on 2007-02-22. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  6. [6]
    Nick Reeves (2010-01-10). "Togo in dramatic African Nations Cup u-turn". Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 2011-11-19. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  7. [7]
    "Togo officially disqualified from Africa Cup of Nations". BBC Sport. BBC. 2010-01-11. Archived from the original on 2010-01-14. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  8. [8]
    "Togo's withdrawal". Confederation of African Football. 30 January 2010. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
  9. [9]
    "Togo banned from next two Africa Cups of Nations". BBC Sport. BBC. 30 January 2010. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
  10. [10]
    "Togo suspended for next two Africa Nations Cup". Xinhua. Archived from the original on June 9, 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
  11. [11]
    Regulations of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations (PDF). Confederation of African Football. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 February 2010.
  12. [12]
    "Togo captain Emmanuel Adebayor slams 'outrageous' ban". BBC Sport. 31 January 2010. Archived from the original on 1 February 2010. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
  13. [13]
    "'Fake' Togo football team at Bahrain match being investigated". BBC News. 15 September 2010. Archived from the original on 3 December 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  14. [14]
    "Fake mastermind behind fake Togo team revealed!". Yahoo. 20 September 2010. Archived from the original on 26 September 2010.
  15. [15]
    Buncombe, Andrew (29 March 2013). "Dan Tan: the man who fixed football". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-06-21. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
  16. [16]
    "Final Squad". Facebook. Fédération Togolaise de Football.
  17. [17]
    Mamrud, Roberto. "Togo - Record International Players". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2023-02-04. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
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