Gabon Suspends National Team, Bans Aubameyang After AFCON Collapse

The Gabonese government has taken sweeping disciplinary action against the country’s national football setup following a disastrous outing at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, announcing the suspension of the Panthers, the dismissal of the coaching crew, and sanctions against senior players Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Bruno Ecuele Manga.

The decision was made public by Gabon’s Minister of Sports, Simplice-Desire Mamboula, after the team concluded the tournament with three straight defeats, finishing bottom of Group F behind Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Mozambique. Gabon’s campaign ended with a dramatic 3–2 loss to defending champions Ivory Coast on Wednesday, sealed by a stoppage-time goal.

Addressing the nation on state television, the minister described the team’s performance as unacceptable and announced the immediate dissolution of the technical staff, the suspension of the national team until further notice, and the exclusion of Aubameyang and Ecuele Manga from national duty. Although the broadcast clip was briefly removed from official platforms, it was later reposted, confirming the government’s position.

The team’s poor showing had already drawn criticism at the highest level of government. After an earlier 3–2 defeat to Mozambique, which mathematically eliminated Gabon from the competition, the Council of Ministers reportedly reviewed the team’s performance. Following that loss, Aubameyang returned to his club side, Marseille, citing a thigh injury.

President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema weighed in on the situation, describing the AFCON failure as a blow to national pride. He identified deep-rooted issues within the football system, including poor organisation and inefficient use of resources, and pledged far-reaching reforms to restore discipline, accountability and ambition in Gabonese sports administration.

However, the government’s decisive intervention could attract scrutiny from world football governing body FIFA, whose statutes prohibit political interference in the internal affairs of national football associations.