Overview
- Acting sports minister Simplice-Désiré Mamboula announced on television that Gabon dissolved its technical staff, suspended the national team until further notice, and excluded Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bruno Ecuele Manga.
- Gabon finished bottom of Group F with three defeats, losing 3-2 to Ivory Coast after leading 2-0 in their final match following earlier losses to Cameroon and Mozambique.
- Head coach Thierry Mouyouma was dismissed as part of the measures following what the government called a disgraceful tournament performance.
- The broadcast of the announcement was taken down from official platforms before being restored, creating short-term confusion about the decision’s status.
- Aubameyang had returned to Olympique de Marseille for thigh treatment and missed the Ivory Coast game, later posting that the team’s problems run deeper than any one player, while observers warned the move could draw FIFA scrutiny for state interference.