The Barea of Madagascar are turning the page on the global qualifiers to aim for CAN 2027. Three crucial issues are attracting attention: the long-awaited approval of the Mahamasina Stadium by CAF, the qualifying draw scheduled for December 2025 in Rabat, and the future of coach Corentin Martins, whose contract expires at the end of January without announcement of an extension.
The Malagasy national team, the Barea, is preparing to turn the page on the 2026 World Cup qualifiers to fully concentrate on qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN). Three major issues dominate the news: the approval of the Barea Mahamasina Stadium, the draw for the qualifiers and the future of coach Corentin Martins. The Barea Mahamasina Stadium, inaugurated in 2021 with a capacity of 40,000 seats, remains at the heart of concerns. Despite work to bring it up to standard in 2025 (improvement of the pitch, extension of the stands and emergency access), final approval by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is still pending. According to the official website of the Malagasy Football Federation, recent inspections have made progress, but CAF still requires strict compliance with its standards for international matches. Rapid approval would finally allow Barea to play at home in front of their fervent public.
Furthermore, the draw for the CAN 2027 qualifiers, co-organized by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, initially scheduled to be held on December 19, 2025 in Rabat, Morocco, did not ultimately take place. According to the qualifying format set by CAF, the teams will be divided into thirteen groups of three or four teams. The matches will begin in March 2026, offering Barea a new opportunity to qualify for this African game.
Finally, the one-year contract of Corentin Martins, appointed in January 2025 with the main mission of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, expires at the end of January. No official announcement of an extension has been made, leaving doubt over the continuity of the French technician, who led the team during recent campaigns. However, a source at the federation revealed that discussions are underway between the president of the Federation and the head of state concerning the future of coach Corentin Martins, whose one-year renewable contract expires at the end of January 2026. These developments will allow Barea to focus on CAN 2027, with the hope of reproducing the feat of 2019 (quarter-final).
Heriniaina Samson