Congo: unpaid and without a contract, Isaac Ngata on shaky ground
Congo head coach since November 2023, Isaac Ngata has still not been paid because no contract has been signed with the Congolese state.
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Congolese football has yet to emerge from the leadership crisis tearing the governing body apart from within, and it now faces a fresh problem that has grown in scale. Appointed on 11 November 2023 to revive the Red Devils, Isaac Ngata has still not received his salary. The 59-year-old coach was brought in to succeed Belgian Paul Put and turn the national team around. But since his appointment, his contract with the Congolese state has not been signed, and the head coach is now threatening to take the matter to FIFA.
416,000 euros claimed
Since taking up the job, Isaac Ngata has received only match bonuses and the per diems paid during national team get-togethers. Otherwise, the coach is still waiting. "Not a single euro since November. I am patient, but this situation cannot go on", he says privately, in comments reported by Mbote.cd.
Read also: FIFA threatens Congo with suspension
The contract, negotiated and approved by the Congolese Football Federation (Fecofoot), provides for an annual salary of 416,000 euros. But with no official signature from the Congolese authorities, no payments have ever been released. The situation leaves Ngata in unexpected financial insecurity and highlights the administrative failings plaguing Congolese football.
Congo on the hunt for a new head coach
The coach's patience now appears to have run out. If nothing changes, he intends to take the matter to FIFA to assert his rights. Such a move could expose the Congolese Football Federation to possible sanctions, up to a ban on its national teams and clubs taking part in competitions.
It is the latest episode in a difficult period for the Congolese federation. After the Red Devils failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, tensions are running high between the sporting authorities and supporters. According to information from Sport News Africa, the Sports Ministry is reportedly already looking for a replacement for Isaac Ngata.
Coaches' agents have been contacted to find a "more experienced" coach, able to give fresh impetus to a team that is no longer performing. It is a decision that raises eyebrows, given that Ngata has not even been able to fully carry out his role because of the lack of clear contractual terms.