The new leadership of the Congolese Football Federation (FECOFA), headed by Véron Mosengo-Omba, has inherited what officials describe as a severe financial and logistical crisis following a formal handover from the outgoing administration led by former secretary general Lyly Tshimpumpu.
According to accounting documents reviewed during the transition, the federation’s financial position has deteriorated sharply, leaving the organisation with almost depleted resources at a critical moment for national football operations.
The most striking figure revealed during the handover shows that FECOFA’s available cash balance dropped from $6,300 to just $1,652, a decline that has immediately placed pressure on the new executive committee as it attempts to stabilise day-to-day operations.
Beyond the financial shortfall, the federation is also grappling with a major logistical issue affecting the national teams.
An entire shipment of official jerseys intended for the DR Congo national team, known as the Leopards, has reportedly been stuck in customs storage at N’djili International Airport in Kinshasa for several months.
The equipment has remained inaccessible due to unpaid clearance and handling fees, which the outgoing committee was unable to settle before leaving office.
As a result, the national team has been left without access to essential kit supplies during a key period of preparation.
Officials say the situation has created additional operational strain, forcing the new leadership to address both immediate financial obligations and long-standing administrative gaps.
The new executive committee now faces the challenge of rebuilding the federation’s financial management structure while also resolving outstanding debts linked to airport storage and customs procedures.
Priority areas include the urgent settlement of fees required to release the detained equipment and the establishment of new financial controls aimed at preventing a repeat of the current crisis.
The leadership is also expected to introduce stricter oversight mechanisms to improve transparency within FECOFA’s administration.
The scale of the challenges underscores the difficulties awaiting Mosengo-Omba’s team as it attempts to restore stability to one of Central Africa’s most prominent football institutions.
The stranded jerseys have also become symbolic of the wider dysfunction described in the transition process, highlighting how administrative and financial shortcomings have directly impacted the national team’s resources.
With limited funds available and key sporting materials still inaccessible, the new committee is now under pressure to act quickly to ensure that the national teams are not further affected in upcoming international fixtures.
