Burundi national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Burundi

Nickname(s)	Intamba Les Hirondelles The Chayfs (The Swallows)
Association	Ishirahamwe ry'umupira w'amaguru ry'Uburundi
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation	CECAFA (East & Central Africa)
Head coach	Etienne Ndayiragije
Captain	Saido Berahino
Most caps	Karim Nizigiyimana (66)
Top scorer	Fiston Abdul Razak (19)
Home stadium	Intwari Stadium
FIFA code	BDI
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	138 1 (7 February 2019)
Highest	96 (August 1993)
Lowest	160 (July 1998)
Elo ranking
Current	113 12 (3 March 2019)
Highest	89 (13 December 1998)
Lowest	168 (13 December 2019)
First international
Uganda 7–0 Burundi  (Kampala, Uganda; 9 October 1964)
Biggest win
Burundi 7–0 Djibouti  (Bujumbura, Burundi; 11 March 2017)  Burundi 8–1 Seychelles  (Moroni, Comoros; 4 September 2021)
Biggest defeat
Congo 8–0 Burundi  (Cameroon; 24 December 1977)
Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances	1 (first in 2019)
Best result	Group stage (2019)

The Burundi national football team is also known as The Swallows. They represent the country of Burundi in international football games. The team is managed by the Football Federation of Burundi.

The Swallows have never played in the FIFA World Cup. However, they almost made it to the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations. They lost in a penalty shootout. In 2019, Burundi qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations for the very first time! They played in Group B but lost all their games. They did not score any goals and left the tournament early.

History of Burundi Football

Early Years (1974–1992)

The Burundi football team started in 1971. Their first game was in 1974 against Somalia. Burundi won that match 2–0. They then lost 1–0 in the next game, but still qualified to play against Egypt. Burundi lost to Egypt 5–0 over two games and was eliminated.

For 17 years, Burundi did not play in another Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match. In their first 20 years, they played 20 games. They won 6, drew 2, and lost 12.

Almost Making It (1992–1998)

In 1992, Burundi tried to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the first time. They won one game against Ghana (1–0) and drew one against Algeria (0–0). But they lost their other games and finished last in their group.

In 1994, Burundi nearly qualified for the 1994 African Cup of Nations. They finished at the top of their group. However, they lost a special playoff match against Guinea after a penalty shootout.

Because of a civil war in Burundi, the team pulled out of the 1996 and 1998 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. They also withdrew from the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. This happened even after they beat Sierra Leone 2–0 over two games.

Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers (2000–2015)

After not playing for a while, Burundi returned for the 2000 tournament. They beat Tanzania but finished third in their group. In 2002, they beat Djibouti 4–1 to reach the group stage. However, they finished last in their group with only two points.

In 2004, Burundi had an even tougher time. They lost all their games and finished last. In 2008, they were five points behind the group winners, Egypt. In 2012, they were much further behind Ivory Coast. For the 2013 qualifiers, Burundi lost to Zimbabwe because of away goals. In 2015, they lost to Botswana 1–0.

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers (2002–2014)

Burundi did not play in the 2002 World Cup qualifiers. They returned in 2006 but were knocked out by Gabon in the first round. In 2010, Burundi won two games against Seychelles. But they did not qualify, finishing behind Burkina Faso and Tunisia. These qualifiers also counted for the Africa Cup of Nations. In the next qualifying round, Burundi lost to Lesotho 3–2 and were eliminated.

First AFCON Qualification (2017–Present)

After losing in the qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Burundi worked to get players like Gaël Bigirimana and Saido Berahino to join the team. Both players played football in Europe. They agreed to play for Burundi. Berahino scored a goal in his first game, helping the team draw 1–1 against Gabon.

In March 2019, Burundi played a very important game against Gabon. They needed just one point (a draw) to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations. The game ended in a 1–1 draw, with a goal from Cédric Amissi. This meant Burundi qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time ever! At the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, Burundi lost all three of their matches. They did not score any goals.

Team Image and Support

Colours and Sponsors

The Burundi team usually wears the three colours of their country's flag: red, green, and white.

For their uniforms, Burundi first had a deal with Erreà, an Italian sports brand. In 2012, they signed a 10-year contract with Adidas. But in 2018, they switched to Nike. They also signed a deal with Lumitel, a phone company.

Home Stadium

The Burundi team plays most of its home games in Bujumbura at the Intwari Stadium. Their second-ever match was their first home game, where they beat Somalia 3–0. The stadium is also home to local clubs like Vital'O FC and Prince Louis FC. The stadium has been updated many times, including in March 2018, when the field was flooded.

Supporters

During games at the Intwari Stadium, Burundian fans often fill the stadium. The stadium has about 10,000 seats, but sometimes over 13,000 people come to watch! Just like the players, the fans wear red, green, and white. They also bring the country's flag. For the big game against Gabon in March 2019, extra seats were added because so many fans wanted to watch.

Recent Matches

This section shows how the team has played recently.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2023 Games

• November 16: Burundi won 3–2 against Gambia in a World Cup qualifier.
• November 19: Burundi lost 1–2 to Gabon in a World Cup qualifier.

2024 Games

• January 9: Burundi lost 0–4 to Algeria in a friendly game.
• March 22: Burundi lost 0–1 to Madagascar in a friendly game.
• March 25: Burundi drew 0–0 with Botswana in a friendly game.
• June 7: Burundi drew 1–1 with Kenya in a World Cup qualifier.
• June 11: Burundi won 3–1 against Seychelles in a World Cup qualifier.

Coaches of the Team

Team Management

This table shows some of the key people who help manage the Burundi national football team.

Position	Name
Head Coach	Etienne Ndayiragije
Assistant Coach	Philippe Habimana
Goalkeeping Coach	Abdoul Ndizeye
Match Analyst	Auguste Nduwimana
Fitness Coach	Antoine Nshimiyimana
Doctors	Dr. Gauthier Ndayambaje Dr. Laurent Ngabonziza
Physiotherapists	Baudouin Niyomukiza Gervayi Ngendahayo André Ndayishimiye Flavien Niyigena
Team Coordinator	Selemani Ndikumana
Technical Director	Olivier Niyungeko

Current Players

Team Members

These are the 23 players who were chosen to play for Burundi in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification games in June 2024.

The numbers for games played (caps) and goals scored are correct as of March 25, 2024.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
	1GK	Jonathan Nahimana	(1999-12-12) 12 December 1999 (age 25)	34	0	Namungo
	1GK	Aladin Bizimana	(2000-04-01) 1 April 2000 (age 25)	1	0	KVK Tienen
	1GK	Mattéo Nkurunziza	(2004-06-02) 2 June 2004 (age 21)	1	0	R.W.D. Molenbeek
	2DF	Frédéric Nsabiyumva	(1995-04-26) 26 April 1995 (age 30)	43	1	Västerås
	2DF	Ismail Nshimirimana	(2000-01-01) 1 January 2000 (age 25)	10	0	Kiyovu Sports
	2DF	Keita Bukuru	(2005-04-05) 5 April 2005 (age 20)	3	0	Aigle Noir Makamba
	2DF	Lucien Delaigle	(2004-03-31) 31 March 2004 (age 21)	2	0	R.W.D. Molenbeek
	2DF	Aime Vaillance Nihorimbere	(2000-01-11) 11 January 2000 (age 25)	2	0	FK Gjøvik-Lyn
	2DF	Claus Niyukuri	(2000-02-13) 13 February 2000 (age 25)	2	0	FK Haugesund
	3MF	Saidi Ntibazonkiza	(1987-05-01) 1 May 1987 (age 38)	31	13	Simba
	3MF	Gaël Bigirimana	(1993-10-22) 22 October 1993 (age 31)	23	0	Young Africans
	2DF	Youssouf Ndayishimiye	(1998-10-27) 27 October 1998 (age 26)	21	1	Nice
	3MF	Abedi Bigirimana	(2002-01-01) 1 January 2002 (age 23)	14	4	Kiyovu Sports
	3MF	Akbar Muderi	(2003-04-28) 28 April 2003 (age 22)	4	1	Gasogi United
	3MF	Irakoze Donasiyano	(1998-02-03) 3 February 1998 (age 27)	3	0	Oakland Roots
	3MF	Elie Mokono	(1994-02-23) 23 February 1994 (age 31)	3	0	Bumamuru
	3MF	Jamir Naudts	(2001-05-13) 13 May 2001 (age 24)	3	0	Feyenoord
	2DF	Henry Msanga	(2001-08-24) 24 August 2001 (age 23)	1	0	Flambeau du Centre
	4FW	Hussein Shabani	(1990-06-26) 26 June 1990 (age 34)	29	2	AS Kigali
	4FW	Mohamed Amissi	(2000-08-03) 3 August 2000 (age 24)	21	0	Baladiyat El Mahalla
	4FW	Bienvenue Kanakimana	(1999-12-28) 28 December 1999 (age 25)	13	0	Jablonec
	4FW	Sudi Abdallah	(2000-01-05) 5 January 2000 (age 25)	10	3	PSIS Semarang
	3MF	Elvis Kamsoba	(1996-06-27) 27 June 1996 (age 28)	6	0	PSS Sleman
	4FW	Richard Kirongozi Bazombwa	(2000-06-13) 13 June 2000 (age 25)	6	0	Bumamuru
	4FW	Jordi Liongola	(2000-05-17) 17 May 2000 (age 25)	5	0	La Louvière

Player Records

Here are some records for players who have played for Burundi. Players whose names are in bold are still playing for the team.

Most Games Played

Top Goal Scorers

Tournament History

FIFA World Cup

Burundi has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup. They have tried many times but have not yet made it to the main tournament.

FIFA World Cup record										Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1930 to 1962	Part of  Belgium									Part of  Belgium
1966 and 1970	Not a FIFA member									Not a FIFA member
1974 to 1990	Did not enter									Declined participation
1994	Did not qualify									4	1	1	2	2	4
1998	Withdrew during qualifying									2	2	0	0	2	0
2002	Withdrew									Withdrew
2006	Did not qualify									2	0	1	1	1	4
2010										6	2	0	4	5	9
2014										2	0	1	1	2	3
2018										4	2	0	2	5	6
2022										2	0	2	0	2	2
2026	To be determined									4	2	1	1	8	6
Total											0/13							26	9	6	11	27	34

Africa Cup of Nations

Burundi has only qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations once, in 2019. They played in the group stage but did not win any games.

Africa Cup of Nations record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1957 to 1962	Part of  Belgium
1963 to 1972	Not affiliated to CAF
1974	Did not enter
1976	Did not qualify
1978	Did not enter
1980	Withdrew
1982 to 1992	Did not enter
1994	Did not qualify
1996	Did not enter
1998	Withdrew
2000 to 2017	Did not qualify
2019	Group stage	22nd	3	0	0	3	0	4
2021	Did not qualify
2023
2025
Total	Group stage	1/34	3	0	0	3	0	4

African Nations Championship

Burundi has played in the African Nations Championship once, in 2014. They reached the group stage.

African Nations Championship record
Appearances: 1
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
2009	Did not qualify
2011
2014	Group stage	10th	3	1	1	1	4	4
2016	Did not qualify
2018
2020
2022
Total	Group stage	1/7	3	1	1	1	4	4

CECAFA Cup

Awards and Achievements

Regional Titles

• CECAFA Cup
  • Runners-up (1): 2004

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Burundi para niños