Indomitable Lionesses : Coach Bisseck Dismissed

Understandably, Jean Baptiste Bisseck was relieved of his duties as Head Coach of the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon. This expected decision, that went viral yesterday, followed Cameroon’s elimination by Algeria in the qualifiers for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). This marks the second consecutive time Cameroon will miss this prestigious continental women’s tournament, a result unprecedented in the history of Cameroon’s women’s team. The fact that Cameroon will not participate in next year’s WAFCON in Morocco has far-reaching consequences. It means Cameroon will also miss the 2027 Women’s World Cup, given that the WAFCON serves as the qualifying tournament for the World Cup. The semifinalists earn direct tickets to the global showpiece. Cameroon will thus be off the international calendar for a significant period. A similar scenario occurred about two years ago, when Cameroon failed to qualify for the 2024 Women’s AFCON and the 2024 Olympics under Bisseck. But before this, the Cameroonian team has been grappling for air since 2020: non-qualification for the 2020 Olympic Games, elimination in the quarterfinals of the 2022 WAFCON, non-qualification for the 2023 World Cup, followed by the two consecutive times Cameroon failed to qualify for the WAFCON.
What makes this situation worse is Cameroon being eliminated by teams that until recently were not considered among the continent’s best in women’s football, such as Kenya and Algeria. About ten years ago, Cameroon was a top contender in women’s football, regularly among the few African teams to qualify for the World Cup.
These worrying performances have led pundits to ponder the root causes, which appear to be shared among the players, coaching staff, and administration. The players bear some responsibility. The level of Cameroonian players has significantly dropped. Many now play in...