Former Democratic Republic of Congo captain and AS Monaco striker Shabani Nonda has entered for the presidency of the Fédération Congolaise de Football Association (FECOFA) elections scheduled for May 20th, 2026 .
Nonda, who earned 48 caps for the DR Congo national football team and enjoyed a distinguished career across several top European leagues, announced his intention to lead the federation with a focus on structural development and long-term growth. He emphasized that his international profile and deep understanding of the game would be central to his leadership approach.
“I want to use my experience, network, and reputation to bring meaningful change to our football,” Nonda indicated, outlining ambitions that include strengthening grassroots systems, improving governance, and enhancing the competitiveness of domestic football structures.
The federation’s presidential election, originally scheduled for 11 April, has been postponed until next month, adding further anticipation to a race that is expected to shape the future direction of football in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
With reform, governance, and development of the domestic game at the centre of debate, the campaign is increasingly being seen as a defining moment for Congolese football leadership.
A first in the history of the Congolese Football Federation (FECOFA): nine candidates were registered for the position of president of the body at the close of filings, which took place on Tuesday, April 21, 2026.
In the race is the former secretary general of CAF, Véron Mosengo-Omba, Bosco Mwehu, current president of the LINAFOOT Management Commission.
Among the other contenders, there are notably two former FECOFA executives under the Constant Omari era: Patrice-Rainier Mangenda, former deputy secretary general, and Jean-Didier Massamba, former vice-president in charge of technology. To this list is added the candidacy of Aziz Makukula, former ambassador of Congolese football appointed at the time by Omari.
In addition to these profiles, Max Mayaka, former president of the DCMP, as well as Kevin Issa, an entrepreneur invested in youth football, complete this list of contenders.
Suspense around the processing of lists
Since the voting system is based on lists, the suspense remains intact. It is now a question of how many lists will be officially selected by the Electoral Commission after the examination of the files according to the eligibility criteria.
The first trends will be known on 1 May with the publication of the provisional lists. The final lists will be unveiled on 11 May, after any appeals have been processed. The election of new members of the FECOFA Executive Committee will take place on 20 May.
Before seeking the presidency, Shabani Nonda built his legend on pitches across the globe, forging invaluable experience at the highest level of the game.
The African Rise: Born in Bujumbura, he began his journey in Africa (Young Africans in Tanzania, Vaal Professionals in South Africa), where his goal-scoring talent quickly caught Europe’s eye.
The European Breakthrough: He rose to prominence at FC Zürich (Switzerland), finishing as the league’s top scorer, before conquering France with Stade Rennais and, most notably, AS Monaco. Wearing the Monégasque colors, he became the Ligue 1 top scorer (2003) and played a key role in the mythical run to the Champions League final in 2004.