Rwanda national football team
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| Rwanda national football team | |
|---|---|
| Name | Rwanda |
| Nickname | Amavubi (The Wasps) |
| Association | Rwanda Football Federation |
| Confederation | Confederation of African Football (CAF) |
| Coach | Torsten Spittler |
| Captain | Djihad Bizimana |
| Top scorer | Olivier Karekezi (25) |
| Home Stadium | Stade Régional Nyamirambo |
| FIFA Trigramme | RWA |
| FIFA Rank | RWA |
| FIFA max | 64 |
| FIFA max date | March 2015 |
| FIFA min | 179 |
| FIFA min date | July 1999 |
| Elo Rank | 124 |
| Pattern la | _rwanda22h |
| Pattern b | _rwanda22h |
| Pattern ra | _rwanda22h |
| Pattern sh | _rwanda22h |
| Leftarm | 00AAFF |
| Body | 00AAFF |
| Rightarm | 00AAFF |
| Shorts | 00AAFF |
| Socks | 00AAFF |
| First game | BDI 6–2 RWA , (Burundi; 29 June 1976) |
| Largest win | RWA 9–0 DJI , (Kigali, Rwanda; 13 December 2020) |
| Largest loss | CMR 5–0 RWA , (Yaoundé, Cameroon; 17 November 2001) , UGA 5–0 RWA , (Kampala, Uganda; 1 August 1998) , TUN 5–0 RWA , (Tunis, Tunisia; 7 February 1999) |
| Regional name | CECAFA |
| Regional cup | CECAFA Cup |
| Regional cup apps | 20 |
| Regional cup first | 1983 |
| Regional cup best | Winners, 1999 |
Rwanda national football team, nicknamed Amavubi (The Wasps), represents Rwanda in international football and is governed by the Rwanda Football Federation. The team competes under the auspices of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and has been a member of FIFA since 1978. Its home matches are primarily played at the Stade Régional Nyamirambo in the capital city of Kigali.
History
The team's first recorded international match was a 6–2 defeat to Burundi in 1976. Following the Rwandan genocide in 1994, the national team became a symbol of national unity and recovery. A significant early achievement was winning the 1999 CECAFA Cup under coach Rene Feller, defeating Uganda in the final. The team's pinnacle performance came in qualifying for its only Africa Cup of Nations finals in 2004, where it was eliminated in the group stage after draws with DR Congo and Guinea. Notable figures in its development include former captain Jimmy Gatete and striker Olivier Karekezi. In recent years, Rwanda co-hosted the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification draw and has participated in tournaments like the African Nations Championship.
Team image
The team's traditional colors are blue and yellow, reflected in its home kit supplied by Umbro. The nickname "Amavubi" was adopted in the late 1990s to symbolize a more aggressive and united playing style. The crest features the national colors and a football, representing the Rwanda Football Federation. Key sponsorship and kit deals have been held with companies like MTN Rwanda. The team's support is fervent in Kigali, and notable fan groups often gather at venues like the Kigali Arena.
Results and fixtures
Recent competitive matches include the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification group stage, where Rwanda faced opponents like Senegal and Mozambique. The team also competes in the CECAFA Cup and African Nations Championship qualifiers. Upcoming fixtures are part of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification process. Historically, the team has had sporadic friendly matches against nations like Côte d'Ivoire and Morocco. Its schedule is managed in accordance with the FIFA International Match Calendar.
Players
The current squad is selected by head coach Torsten Spittler. The captain is Djihad Bizimana, who plays for AS Kigali. Notable current players include goalkeeper Olivier Kwizera of CF Montréal and forward Lague Byiringiro of KRC Genk. Historically, the team's all-time top scorer is Olivier Karekezi, who played for clubs including Helsingborgs IF. Other legendary players are defender Emery Bayisenge and midfielder Haruna Niyonzima. The player pool draws heavily from the Rwandan Premier League and a diaspora contingent across leagues in Europe and Africa.
Honours
The team's major honour is the CECAFA Cup, won in 1999. It has been runners-up in the tournament on three occasions (2003, 2005, 2007). At the African Nations Championship, Rwanda achieved a best finish of fourth place in 2016. The team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup. Its highest FIFA World Rankings position was 64th, achieved in March 2015.
See also
* Rwanda Football Federation * Rwandan Premier League * Stade Régional Nyamirambo * CECAFA Cup * Africa Cup of Nations * 2024 African Nations Championship
References
Category:National sports teams of Rwanda Category:African national association football teams Category:1976 establishments in Rwanda