After a miserable 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, Madagascar have a new foreign coach and French tactician Corentin Martins called in his first squad ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying games on Wednesday. The Barea will be based in Morocco where they take on Central African Republic on March 19 in Casablanca before hosting Ghana in Al Hoceima five days later.
Martins has brought in five recently recruited dual national players of Malagasy descent for important March fixtures against Central African Republic and Ghana. Geordan Dupire, (FC Swift Hesperange, Luxembourg), Tommy Iva (Orleans), Mathieu Acapandié (FC Nantes), Samuel Noireau Dauriat (EA Guingamp) and Jean Harisson Marcelin (Beitar Jerusalem, Israel) are set to add quality to a Barea squad that remains firmly in contention.
2026 World Cup Qualifying: Group I table (4 matches played)
Points | |
Comoros | 9 |
Ghana | 9 |
Madagascar | 7 |
Mali | 5 |
Central African Republic | 4 |
Chad | 0 |
The group winner qualifies for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Four of the nine group runners-up qualify for a playoff to determine Africa's representative at the intercontinental qualifying playoff.
There are five players based in Malagasy football who have been called in after previous recent squads included a large domestic contingent. The dual national additions from Martins are focused on improving the defensive organization with Jean-Pierre Morgan and Marcelin offering experienced options in the center and the flanks.
The midfielder is where the Barea are strongest. Rayan Raveloson (Young Boys, Switzerland), Loïc Lapoussin (Sint-Truiden, Belgium) and Marco Ilaimaharitra (KV Kortrijk, Belgium) are all players who have competed at a high level in their club careers.
The attack is an area of concern after Madagascar only managed four goals in their six 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying games. Warren Caddy, co-leading scorer in the Swiss Challenge League (2nd tier), appears set to be the focal point of the attack considering his strong form. Veteran attackers Njiva Rakotoharimalala and Jhon Baggio are also included with diminutive playmaker Baggio called in for the first time since 2016.
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