The Burkina Faso Football Federation has officially parted ways with head coach Brama Traoré and his entire technical staff, a decision announced on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, in the wake of the national team’s disappointing elimination from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The move comes after the Stallions suffered a heavy 3-0 defeat to bitter regional rivals and defending champions Ivory Coast in the round of 16 knockout stage, played in Marrakesh. Manchester United winger Amad Diallo opened the scoring and set up Yan Diomande for the second before halftime, with substitute Bazoumana Toure adding the third to seal a convincing victory for the Ivorians.
Burkina Faso had progressed from their group as runners-up, securing wins over Sudan and Equatorial Guinea but suffering a loss to Algeria along the way. However, the federation deemed the overall performance “far below expectations,” especially given the pre-tournament target of reaching at least the semi-finals—a goal aligned with the team’s stronger showings in recent editions, including a semifinal appearance in 2021.
Federation president Oumarou Sawadogo expressed deep disappointment over the results, which also followed Burkina Faso’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Traoré, aged 63, had been in charge since March 2024, having replaced Frenchman Hubert Velud after a similar last-16 exit at the previous AFCON. His tenure lasted roughly 22 months before the swift termination of his contract and that of his full backroom team.
This dismissal marks the second coaching casualty of the tournament in Morocco, following Tunisia’s parting of ways with their own manager after a round-of-16 exit. The federation has indicated that a new recruitment process for a head coach and staff will begin immediately, with the aim of rebuilding momentum for future competitions, including qualifiers for the 2027 AFCON.
The decision underscores the high stakes and intense pressure on national team coaches in African football, particularly after underwhelming runs in major tournaments.