Rwanda: Spittler Not Ruling Rwanda Out of 2026 World Cup

9 November 2023

Amavubi head coach Torsten Frank Spittler admits his team will find it tough to make it to the 2026 World Cup considering their position on the FIFA ranking but he still believes it is not something that can't be achieved.

The German gaffer is of view that teams at the lower ranks on the FIFA ranking hardly make it to big football tournaments of the World Cup caliber but he still hopes Rwanda can defy the odds and write a new history by qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in USA, Canada and Mexico.

"Our main target is to win every game and be competitive. If those wins secure the team the ticket, we will take it," Spittler told journalists in a press conference on Thursday.

"We have to be realistic; Rwanda is lying 147th in the world. Teams at that position qualifying for world cup is rare but we have to win all our games and see what happens," he added.

Spittler's Rwanda begins 2026 World Cup qualifiers campaign on November 15 when they take on Zimbabwe before facing South Africa on November 21. Both games will take place at Huye Stadium.

The German coach indicated that he will work with the players at his disposal for the next two games against Zimababwe and South Africa before investing ample time in scouting players on his own for future assignments.

"I have to work with the players I have now. The technical director and the assistant coaches know the players more than I do. I only made some inputs and, after the two games, I will be able to look and scout players," he added.

Rwanda's biggest achievement in football in terms of the senior national team was qualifying for the 2004 AFCON in Tunisia.

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