The Mauritania national football team () represents Mauritania in men's international football. It is controlled by the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, and is a member of the Confederation of African Football. They have not qualified for the FIFA World Cup. However, in the Amílcar Cabral Cup, a regional tournament for West Africa, Mauritania came fourth in 1980 on hosting the competition. The national football team of Mauritania was later runners-up in 1995, losing on penalties to Sierra Leone after the final finished 0–0.
On 18 November 2018, Mauritania qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in history, after they won 2–1 against Botswana to seal a spot in the 2019 tournament.
History
1963–1980 Mauritania played its first match after independence from France on 11 April 1963, against Congo Kinshasa (also making their debut) and lost 6–0. The match was held in Dakar, Senegal as part of the L'Amitié tournament between African sides. It also saw the debuts of Chad, Liberia and Niger. Mauritania lost its three other matches in the tournament: 2–0 to the Ivory Coast, 4–0 to Tunisia and 7–0 to Congo Brazzaville.
Mauritania's first goal and avoidance of defeat came four years after their debut, in 1967 with a 1–1 draw away in Tanzania. This was their first match since the L'Amitié tournament in 1963.
Mauritania entered their first African Games qualification campaign, in an aim to reach the 1973 finals in Nigeria. They were drawn in a group against Mali and Guinea in Guinea. The first game was lost 11–0 to Mali, and on 20 May Mauritania lost 14–0 to Guinea. Mauritania did not qualify.
In May 1976 Mauritania entered qualification for the football at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Canada. They were drawn against neighbouring Mali in a two-legged qualifier. The first leg was lost 6–0 away on 1 May, and the second leg was lost 1–0 at home on 18 May. Mali did not qualify for the finals.
Mauritania's first entrance into World Cup qualification was an attempt to reach the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina. In March 1976 they were one of four countries put into two preliminary matches at the start of the African qualification campaign. Mauritania's preliminary was a two-legged match against the Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) and they drew the first match 1–1 away in Ouagadougou on 13 March. This was their first competitive avoidance of defeat, and their first avoidance of defeat since 1967. On 28 March, Mauritania lost their home leg in Nouakchott 2–0 and the Upper Volta advanced 3–1 on aggregate.
On 12 October 1980, seventeen years after their first game, Mauritania won for the first time by beating Mali 2–1 at home in a qualifier for the African Cup of Nations. Mali won 3–2 on aggregate having won the first leg 2–0.
1998 FIFA World Cup qualification Mauritania entered qualification for the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, which was their first entry in twenty years and second overall. Again, they were drawn to face Burkina Faso in a two-legged preliminary. The first leg was played at home in Nouakchott in front of 15,000 people on 31 May 1996, one day before any other matches in the round. The match finished 0–0. The second leg was played at the Stade du 4-Aout in Ouagadougou on 16 June 1996 in front of 13,000 people. Burkina Faso won 2–0 to advance to the final group phase.
2002 FIFA World Cup qualification Mauritania entered the qualification for the 2002 FIFA World Cup and were placed in a preliminary against Tunisia, who had qualified for the previous tournament. On 7 April 2000 they hosted Tunisia at the Stade Olympique in Nouakchott. A crowd of 10,000 saw Tunisia win 2–1 with second-half goals from Radhi Jaidi and Hassen Gabsi. In the second leg on 22 April 2000, Mauritania were beaten 3–0 at the Stade El Menzah in Tunis. The match was watched by only 3,000, despite a capacity of 45,000 in the ground. Tunisia won 5–1 on aggregate and later qualified for the finals in South Korea and Japan.
2006 FIFA World Cup qualification Mauritania were drawn with Zimbabwe in the preliminary of the African section of the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification. On 12 October 2003 they lost the away leg 3–0 at the National Sports Stadium in Harare in front of 55,000 people. In the home return at the Stade Olympique on 14 November 2003, Mauritania scored twice in the opening ten minutes to win 2–1, their first victory in a World Cup match. However, Zimbabwe advanced 4–2 on aggregate.
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification The African qualification process was altered for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Only the six lowest-ranked nations played a preliminary, a selection which for the first time did not include Mauritania. Mauritania played in Group 8 of the second qualifying round against Rwanda, Morocco and Ethiopia, and started with an away match at the Stade Regional Nyamirambo in Kigali, Rwanda on 31 May 2008. They lost 3–0 in front of 12,000 people. The first home match was on 7 June at the Stade Nacional in Nouakchott against Morocco. The Moroccans scored two in each half before a late penalty by Dominique da Silva of Mauritania made the game 4–1.
On 13 June 2008 Mauritania hosted Ethiopia at the Stade Nacional and lost 1–0 after an injury-time winner from Saladin Said. On 22 June Mauritania lost 6–1 in the away match versus Ethiopia at the Addis Ababa Stadium. The Ethiopian forwards Fikru Tefera and Andualem Nigussie scored two goals each in a match which also saw Ba Yaoub of Mauritania sent off after 37 minutes, conceding a penalty to Fikru. The game was 1–1 at half time. In September 2008 Ethiopia were expelled from the tournament due to government interferences in their football association and all of their results annulled.
Only 1,000 people saw Mauritania's next game at the Stade Nacional as they were beaten 1–0 by Rwanda on 6 September with a late goal by Bobo Bola. Mauritania finished their group campaign at the Stade Moulay Abdellah in Rabat, Morocco. Like the home game against the Moroccans, Mauritania were 4–0 down but scored the last goal, this time by Dahmed Ould Teguedi. Although the Moroccan stadium had a capacity of 52,000, only 1,472 saw the match.
2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
Mauritania beat Mauritius 1–0 in the first leg of a preliminary round qualifier for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Nouakchott. SC Bastia's midfielder Adama Ba scored the only goal midway through the first half. The return leg in Curepipe ended 2–0 in favour of Mauritania. Scorers were Demba Sow and Moulaye Ahmed Bessam.
In the first round, first leg match, Mauritania beat visitors Equatorial Guinea 1–0 in Nouakchott. The two sides headed into the break scoreless in their match played at Office du Complexe Olympique de Nouakchott. Hosts Mauritania broke the deadlock in the 76th minute through their Tunisian-based striker Ismaël Diakité. In the return match Equatorial Guinea beat Mauritania 3–0 in Malabo. Equatorial Guinea won 3–1 on aggregate. However, on 3 July 2014, the CAF announced that Equatorial Guinea were disqualified for fielding the ineligible player Thierry Fidjeu in the tie, and as a result, Mauritania advanced to the second round. Equatorial Guinea later qualified for the final tournament as replacement hosts.
2019 Africa Cup of Nations On 18 November 2018, Mauritania qualified to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in their history, after they won 2–1 against Botswana, coming second in qualification Group I.
Team image
The Mauritania national team home kit is all green yellow red trim, and the away kit is all white with green trim.
Results and fixtures
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
2025
2026
2027
Coaches
Mohamed Harouna (1982–1983) Gerhard Schmidt (1985) Birama Gaye (2000) Noël Tosi (2003–2004) Moustapha Sall (2006–2007) Birama Gaye (2007) Alain Moizan (2008) Mohamed Harouna (2008) Omar Hassan (2010) Moustapha Sall (2010–2012) Patrice Neveu (2012–2014) Corentin Martins (2014–2021) Gérard Buscher (2021) Didier Gomes Da Rosa (2021–2022) Amir Abdou (2022–2024) Aritz López Garai (2025–present)
Players
Current squad The following players were called up for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches against Central African Republic and Benin on 24 and 29 September 2026; respectively.
Caps and goals correct as of 8 June 2026, after the match against Niger.
Recent call-ups The following players have been called up for Mauritania in the last 12 months.
DEC Player refused to join the team after the call-up. INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury. PRE Preliminary squad. RET Player has retired from international football. SUS Suspended from the national team.
Records
Players in bold are still active with Mauritania.
Most appearances
RankPlayerCapsGoalsCareer 1 Souleymane Diallo 76 0 2006–2019 2 Mohamed Dellahi Yali 75 3 2015–present 3 Aly Abeid 71 4 2015–present 4 Ismaël Diakité 68 9 2008–2022 5 Bessam 66 13 2013–2023 6 Abdoulaye Gaye 58 2 2012–2020 7 Hacen El Ide 56 9 2013–present8 Abdoul Ba 52 0 2013–2022 Hemeya Tanjy 52 8 2018–present 10 Moustapha Diaw 50 1 2015–2021
Top goalscorers
RankPlayerGoalsCapsRatioCareer 1 Bessam 13 66 2013–20232 Hacen El Ide 9 56 2013–present Ismaël Diakité 9 68 2008–20224 Aboubakar Kamara 8 29 2021–present Hemeya Tanjy 8 52 2018–present6 Boubacar Bagili 6 35 2015–2019 Adama Ba 6 48 2013–20228 Ahmed Sidibé 5 19 1994–2008 Brahim Ould Malha 5 23 1994–2002 Mamadou Niass 5 45 2013–2023
Competitive record FIFA World Cup FIFA World Cup recordQualification recordYearRoundPosition1930 to 1958Part of FrancePart of France1962 to 1970Not a FIFA memberNot a FIFA member 1974Did not enterDid not enter 1978Did not qualify201113 1982Did not enterDid not enter 1986 1990 1994WithdrewWithdrew 1998Did not qualify201102 2002200215 2006210124 20104004212 2014Did not enterDid not enter 2018Did not qualify411275 20226024211 202610145413 2030To be determinedTo be determined 2034Total 32 3 9 20 19 55
Olympic Games Olympic Games recordAppearances: 0YearRoundPosition1896 – 1960Part of France 1964Did not enter 1968 1972 1976Did not qualify 1980Did not enter 1984Did not qualify 1988Did not enter 1992Did not qualify 1996Did not enter 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016Did not qualify 2020 2024Total0/28 Football at the Summer Olympics has been an under-23 tournament since the 1992 edition.
Africa Cup of Nations
Africa Cup of Nations recordQualification Appearances: 3YearRoundPosition* * 1957Part of FrancePart of 1959 1962Not affiliated to CAFNot affiliated to CAF 1963 1965 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976Did not enterDid not enter 1978 1980Did not qualify200236 1982200232 1984Did not enterDid not enter 1986Did not qualify4112410 1988Did not enterDid not enter 1990WithdrewWithdrew 1992Did not qualify6006118 1994WithdrewWithdrew 1996Did not qualify814336 1998201114 2000WithdrewWithdrew 2002Did not qualify201103 20046024010 2006200224 20086213910 20104004212 2012WithdrewWithdrew 2013Did not enterDid not enter 2015Did not qualify420233 2017622265 2019Group stage19th302114640276 202124th300307623154 2023Round of 1616th410335631297 2025Did not qualify621336 2027To be determinedTo be determined 2028TotalRound of 163/35 10 1 2 7 4 16 78 19 17 42 61 116
African Games African Games recordAppearances: 0YearRoundPosition 1965Did not enter 1973Did not qualify 1978Did not enter 1987 1991 1995 1999 2003Withdrew 2007Did not enter 2011 2015 2019Did not qualify 2023Total 0/13 Prior to the Cairo 1991 campaign, the Football at the African Games was open to full senior national teams.
African Nations Championship African Nations Championship recordAppearances: 3YearRoundPosition 2009Did not qualify 2011Withdrew 2014Group stage14th300348 2016Did not qualify 2018Group stage16th300306 2020Did not qualify 2022Quarter-finals7th311111 2024Group stage 421121TotalQuarter-finals4/813328716
WAFU Nations Cup