The Togo national football team (French: Équipe nationale de football du Togo) represents Togo in international football and is controlled by the Togolese Football Federation. The national football team of Togo made their debut in the FIFA World Cup in 2006. Their team bus underwent a fatal attack in Angola prior to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. They withdrew and were subsequently banned from the following two tournaments by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). In 2013 for the first time in history, Togo reached the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations. The team represents both FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
History They made their first FIFA World Cup appearance in their history in 2006, having been coached throughout the qualifying campaign by Stephen Keshi; German coach Otto Pfister managed the team at the finals, despite having resigned three days before their first match over a players' bonuses dispute, only to be persuaded by the players to return. Prior to gaining independence in 1960, the team was known as French Togoland.
2006 World Cup Togo lost their opening game of the World Cup, despite having taken the lead against South Korea through a goal by Mohamed Kader. In the second half, Jean-Paul Abalo was sent off after 55 minutes, and goals from Lee Chun-Soo and Ahn Jung-Hwan sealed a 2–1 defeat for Togo.
Togo's next opponents in Group G were Switzerland, with the match scheduled for the afternoon of 19 June. However, the Togo squad and manager Pfister threatened to refuse to fulfill the fixture and take strike action. The squad and manager had been quoted as requesting payments from the Togolese Football Federation for participating in the tournament of around €155,000 (US$192,000) with added bonuses for victories or draws. FIFA negotiated with the squad and manager on 17 June, persuading them to travel to Dortmund in time to fulfill the fixture; goals from Alexander Frei and Tranquillo Barnetta resulted in a 2–0 defeat. FIFA subsequently imposed a CHF100,000 fine on the Togolese federation for "behaviour unworthy of a participant in the World Cup."
Togo's final group game against France ended in a 2–0 defeat.
Sierra Leone air disaster
After a 2008 African Nations Cup qualifier away to Sierra Leone on 3 June 2007, 20 members of a delegation of sports officials from Togo, including Togolese Sports Minister Richard Attipoe, were killed when their helicopter exploded and crashed at Lungi International Airport. No players of the Togo national team were among the victims. The Togo players and officials of the team had been waiting to take the next helicopter flight to the island on which the airport is located.
2010 bus ambush and ban
On 8 January 2010, the Togo team bus was attacked by gunmen as it travelled to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, killing three and injuring several others. The separatist group Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC) claimed responsibility for the attack. Goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilalé was reported dead a day after the attack, though he actually survived. Such reports were later dismissed by his club GSI Pontivy in a press announcement, stating the player was actually undergoing surgery in South Africa.
Following the bus ambush attack, the Togolese Football Federation stated that they would withdraw from the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations; despite claims that the team had since reversed the decision and would compete "to show our national colours, our values and that we are men" (as announced by Thomas Dossevi), the government later ordered that the team return home.
Following the team's withdrawal, The Confederation of African Football (CAF) banned Togo from participating in the next two editions of the Cup of Nations and fined them US$50,000 because of the "decision taken by the political authorities". The CAF executive Committee considered that the Togolese team was in "forfeit notified less than twenty days before the start or during the final competition" (Art. 78 of the Regulations for the Africa Cup of Nations), rather than having withdrawn (Art. 80), and refused to consider the circumstances as force majeure (Art. 87). Togo's government immediately said they would sue as CAF "have no consideration for the lives of other human beings" and this is further "insulting to the family of those who lost their lives and those traumatized because of the attack". FIFA has yet to comment on the issue. Togo footballer Thomas Dossevi said, "We are a group of footballers who came under fire and now we can't play football anymore. They are crushing us". Togolese captain Emmanuel Adebayor described the decision as "outrageous" and said that CAF President Issa Hayatou had "completely betrayed" the Togo squad. FIFA subsequently helped lifted their ban entirely.
As a result of the events, Emmanuel Adebayor announced his retirement from international football on 12 April 2010. But on 22 March 2011, Adebayor announced that he was again available for the national team.
Fake Togo team On 7 September 2010, Togo allegedly played Bahrain in a friendly losing the match 3–0. However, on 14 September, the Togo FA claimed that a fake team had played against Bahrain. Togo's Sports Minister Christophe Tchao said to the Jeune Afrique magazine that nobody in Togo had "ever been informed of such a game". On 20 September 2010, it was revealed that former Togo manager Bana Tchanilé was the culprit and the Togo FA have given him a three-year ban in addition to the two-year ban he got in July 2010 for taking Togo players to play a tournament in Egypt. The match fixing has been linked to Wilson Raj Perumal and the Singaporean match-fixing syndicate allegedly run by Tan Seet Eng. In January 2019, FIFA banned the match's referee, Ibrahim Chaibou of Niger, for his links to Perumal and being involved in corrupting other games, including two friendlies between South Africa and Guatemala and Nigeria v Argentina.
2014 World Cup Qualification Togo began qualification for the 2014 World Cup on 11 November 2011, against Guinea-Bissau. They drew in the first leg 1–1. On 15 November 2011, they won the return leg 1–0. On 3 June 2012, they played Libya in Lome and drew 1–1. Shortly after on 10 June they played Congo DR at Kinshasa and lost 2–0. They resumed on 3 March 2013, and played Cameroon in Yaounde and lost 2–1. They met again on 9 June in Lome and Togo won 2–0. In the end, Togo failed to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Results and fixtures The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
2025
2026
2027
Coaches
Caretaker managers are listed in italics.
Jean Robin (1965) Gottlieb Göller (1970–1974, 1984, 1996–1997, 1998–2000) Boško Antić (1987–1989) Julien Dovi Aguiar (1992) Baboima Ergot (1993) Paul Messan Zougbédé (1997) Eberhard Vogel (1997–1998) Kodjovi Mawuéna (2000) Bana Tchanile (2000–2002) Diego Garzitto (2002) Antônio Dumas (2002–2004) Stephen Keshi (2004–2006, 2007–2008, 2011) Otto Pfister (2006) Henri Stambouli (2008) Kodjovi Mawuéna (2008–2009) Jean Thissen (2009) Hubert Velud (2009–2010) Thierry Froger (2010–2011) Didier Six (2011–2014) Tchakala Tchanilé (2014) Tom Saintfiet (2015–2016) Claude Le Roy (2016–2021) Jonas Komla (2021) Paulo Duarte (2021–2024) Daré Nibombé (2024–2025) Patrice Neveu (2026–present)
Players
Current squad The following players were selected for the friendly matches against Guinea and Niger on 27 and 31 March 2026.
Caps and goals correct as of 31 March 2026, after the match against Niger.
Recent call-ups The following players have been called up for Togo in the last twelve months.
DEC Player refused to join the team after the call-up. INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury. PRE Preliminary squad. RET Player has retired from international football. SUS Suspended from the national team.
Records
Players in bold are still active with Togo.
Most appearances
RankPlayerCapsGoalsCareer 1 Alaixys Romao 97 0 2005–present 2 Abdoul-Gafar Mamah 93 0 2000–2016 3 Djené Dakonam 89 0 2012–present 4 Emmanuel Adebayor 88 32 2000–2019 5 Kossi Agassa 84 0 1998–2017 6 Moustapha Salifou 77 8 2000–2013 7 Jean-Paul Abalo 74 1 1992–2008 8 Komlan Améwou 69 5 2000–2015 9 Tadjou Salou 62 12 1992–200410 Serge Akakpo 61 2 2008–2017 Mohamed Kader 61 13 1995–2009
Top goalscorers
RankPlayerGoalsCapsRatioCareer 1 Emmanuel Adebayor (list) 32 88 2000–2019 2 Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba 20 55 2016–present3 Kossi Noutsoudje 13 40 1994–2002 Mohamed Kader 13 61 1995–2009 5 Tadjou Salou 12 62 1992–2004 6 Floyd Ayité 11 48 2007–2022 7 Kévin Denkey 10 42 2018–present8 Euloge Placca Fessou 9 36 2012–present Adékambi Olufadé 9 41 1998–2010 10 Moustapha Salifou 8 77 2000–2013
Competition records
FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup recordQualification recordYearRoundPosition*Squad 1930 to 1958Part of Part of 1962Not a FIFA memberNot a FIFA member 1966Did not enterDid not enter 1970 1974Did not qualify 2 0 1 1 0 4 1978 4 1 1 2 3 5 1982 2 1 0 1 2 2 1986WithdrewWithdrew 1990 1994Did not qualify 5 0 0 5 2 11 1998 8 2 2 4 9 16 2002 10 3 4 3 13 13 2006 Group stage 30th 3 0 0 3 1 6Squad 12 8 2 2 22 9 2010Did not qualify 10 4 2 4 11 10 2014 8 2 2 4 6 12 2018 2 0 0 2 0 4 2022833287 202610154510 2030To be determinedTo be determined 2034Total300316—8125223481103
Africa Cup of Nations Africa Cup of Nations recordQualification recordYearRoundPosition*Squad * 1957Part of Part of 1959 1962Not affiliated to CAFNot affiliated to CAF 1963 1965Did not enterDid not enter 1968Did not qualify410339 1970201115 1972Group stage7th302146Squad422031 1974 Withdrew Withdrew 1976Did not qualify630397 1978210112 1980430139 1982201126 1984Group stage8th301217Squad8800112 1986Did not qualify201112 1988201113 1990WithdrewWithdrew 1992Did not qualify822449 1994Withdrew during qualifyingWithdrew 1996Did not qualify8134510 1998Group stage12th310246Squad8422105 200010th311123Squad6312126 200212th302103Squad632186 2004Did not qualify631297 2006Group stage16th300327Squad12912224 2008Did not qualify630397 2010Withdrew due to rebel attackWithdrew 2012Did not qualify8134610 2013Quarter-finals8th411244Squad411253 2015Did not qualify6204712 2017Group stage16th301226Squad6321114 2019Did not qualify612348 2021602438 2023622288 20256123710 2027To be determinedTo be determined 2029TotalQuarter-finals8/352538141942—144573255165163
African Nations Championship African Nations Championship recordAppearances: 1YearRoundPosition 2009Did not qualify 2011 2014 2016 2018 2020Group stage11th310245 2022Did not qualify 2024TotalGroup stage 1/8310245
African Games African Games recordYearRoundPldWDLGFGA 1965Group stage311159 1987Did not qualifyTotal1/4311159
Honours Regional West African Nations Cup Runners-up (4): 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986 WAFU Nations Cup Champions (1): 2011 Third place (1): 2013
References
External links
Togo FA official site Togo at CAF Togo at FIFA