Amrouche Named Head Coach of Rwanda’s National Football Team
Adel Amrouche is appointed as Rwanda's new head coach after a legal victory over CAF's sanctions.
Amrouche Appointed Head Coach of Rwanda's National Team
KIGALI, Rwanda – The Rwandan national football team has named Adel Amrouche as their new head coach. The experienced Algerian tactician, 58, is embarking on his seventh international coaching assignment.
Amrouche’s appointment follows a landmark legal victory. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne overturned an eight-match suspension imposed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) disciplinary board. The suspension had been handed to Amrouche after controversial comments he made during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, which led to his dismissal as Tanzania’s head coach. With the suspension now annulled, Amrouche is ready to take on a new challenge in Rwanda.
As of March 2, local media confirmed the new coaching appointment, which also sees Eric Nshimiyimana and Calorin Braun join Amrouche as his assistant coaches. While he currently holds a position at FIFA, working as an expert overseeing the development of sports federations under Arsène Wenger, it is unclear whether Amrouche will maintain both roles or step down from his FIFA duties to fully focus on his new assignment with Rwanda.
Amrouche’s coaching career spans more than a decade, beginning in 2007 with Burundi. He has since led teams such as Kenya (2013-2014), Libya (2018), Botswana (2019-2022), Yemen (2022-2023), and Tanzania (2022-2023). His time managing Tanzania, however, was marred by a public dispute during the Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d'Ivoire in 2024. Amrouche openly criticized Morocco’s influence within the CAF and accused the Royal Moroccan Football Federation of having significant control over referee appointments. His comments targeted CAF President Fouzi Lekjaa, which led to disciplinary action from the CAF, including the suspension and fine.
Following the CAS ruling, Amrouche secured not only the annulment of his sanctions but also compensation of 3,000 Swiss francs. This victory is the latest in a series of legal triumphs for the coach. In 2014, Amrouche successfully appealed a racial misconduct charge while coaching Kenya, further solidifying his resilience in the face of legal and professional challenges.
With his experience and recent legal victory, Amrouche is now looking to revitalize Rwanda's football ambitions as the new head coach of their national team.
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