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ZURICH (AP) — FIFA has approved Celtic forward Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Standard Liege goalkeeper Matthieu Epolo to switch their national eligibility from Belgium to Congo for the 2026 World Cup qualifying playoffs. Both players, born in Belgium with Congolese family ties, previously represented Belgium at youth levels but never in the senior team. Congo will face Cameroon in a playoff semifinal, with the winner advancing to a final against either Nigeria or Gabon. The playoff bracket, held in Rabat, Morocco, will determine the African representative for the intercontinental playoffs in March, which offer a chance to qualify for the World Cup.
