ST. PETERSBURG, Fla (March 20, 2025) – Tampa Bay Rowdies wingback Pacifique Niyongabire has been called up to the Burundi men’s national team for the team’s upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.
Niyongabire has departed Tampa Bay to join Burundi for their World Cup qualifiers against Ivory Coast on Friday, March 21 and Seychelles on Tuesday, March 25. Both matches are set to be played at Honneur Stadium in Meknes, Morocco.
With six matches left in the group stage of the Confederation of African Football World Cup qualifying tournament, Burundi currently sits third in Group F. The top team from each group automatically qualifies for the World Cup, with the second-place finishers in contention to move on to the inter-confederation playoffs for the final World Cup spots.
Niyongabire earned his first cap for the Burundi men’s national team in a friendly against Ivory Coast in November of 2022. He tallied his first goal for Burundi in March of 2023, notching the lone goal for his country in a friendly versus Indonesia. The 25-year-old has become a regular starter for the Rowdies since joining via transfer ahead of last season, earning 26 starts from 34 appearances for the club.
