The Leone Stars of Sierra Leone have received a major boost ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying clash against DR Congo, with 11 more players arriving in Kinshasa ahead of a cracking matchday three in the race to East Africa.

Their arrival brings the number of players in camp to 21, with only four members of the 25-man squad yet to report.

The latest group comprises captain Osman Kakay, Juma Bah, Idris Kanu, Augustus Kargbo, Sulay Kaikai, Ali Conteh, Ra’ees Bangura-Williams, Tyrese Fornah, Alhassan Koroma, Daniel Kanu and Samuel Bekoe.

The players were welcomed at the team hotel by members of the delegation, including head coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa and newly appointed Leone Stars Ambassador and former national team captain, Umar “Zangalay” Bangura.

With preparations gathering momentum, the Leone Stars are stepping up their training sessions ahead of Thursday’s important encounter against the Leopards of DR Congo.

The remaining four players are expected to join the squad later today, completing the team’s preparations ahead of the eagerly anticipated AFCON qualifier.

A loss in this match could significantly reduce Sierra Leone’s chances of qualifying for the tournament in East Africa, following their initial defeats against Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea.

Currently, they sit at the bottom of Group E in the race for spots in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, as the 36th edition of Africa’s international men’s football championship approaches.

The TotalEnergies CAF AFCON PAMOJA 2027 is set to take place from June 19 to July 17, 2027, marking a significant return of Africa’s premier football competition to East Africa for the first time since Ethiopia hosted it in 1976.