SPORTS

Ronaldinho Gaucho, former Brazil and Barcelona attacking midfielder, has revealed two attackers who he admired most as a footballer. The player said two former national team captains were his most admired attackers. He named them as former Nigerian and Colombian skippers, Austin Jay-Jay Okocha and Carlos Valderrama. The Brazilian joined other former football stars in Bahrain for the FIFA congress …

The world football’s governing body has confirmed that at least nine African countries will participate at the World Cup Finals when the competition expands to 48 teams in 2026. Africa could have as many as 10 teams competing at the 2026 World Cup after the allocation for places at the expanded 48-nation competition was ratified by the FIFA Council during their meeting …

Ghana and Pescara’s  player Sulley Muntari confronted racism boldly on Sunday during a Serie A match  involving his club in Cagliari. The 32-year-old midfielder complained to the referee about racist chants of Cagliari fans but was punished for his complaints, prompting him to take action himself by leaving the pitch in protest. The Ghana international had appealed to the referee …

An opening ceremony was held for the construction of 45 sports fields for socially disadvantaged youth in Namibia recently. In the future, nearly 14,000 young Namibians across the country will be able to use the sports fields for free to play football or other sports. Germany’s development ministry has teamed up with prominent partners for the project. They include partners …

Kenya’s Paul Lonyangata won the Paris Marathon in a quick time of two hours, six minutes, 10 seconds on Sunday and Purity Rionoripo, his wife, won the women’s race in a new record time of 2:20.55. Lonyangata pulled clear when his compatriot Stephen Chebogut, who started with the best personal best of the field, cracked with 5.7km left. The 24-year-old …

FIFA has granted media rights to five major broadcasting entities in the sub-Saharan Africa region for all 2017-2018 FIFA events, after an open tender process for 42 territories*. This includes the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The following broadcasters have been awarded certain media rights with regard to the 2018 FIFA World Cup: ▪ Econet …

Fifteen footballers from Cameroon and one from Belgium have been detained in the Crimean village of Ordzhonikidze for attempting to stay in the country illegally. The players from FC Yaounde II, the second string of Cameroon premier division side FC Yaounde, were taking part in the Open Winter Cup organized by the Crimean Football Union (CFU) in February. For the …

Madagascar Football Association chief Ahmad pulled off a stunning upset on Thursday, ousting Issa Hayatou, the long-serving president of the Confederation of African Football, in an election at the organization’s congress in Ethiopia. The 57-year-old former government minister, who goes by just a single name, won the CAF presidency by 34 votes to 20 in the poll, bringing to a …

Akosua Puni Essien, the wife of former Chelsea midfielder and Ghanaian legend Michael Essien, has purchased Italian football club Como. She paid 237,000 euros for the Lega Pro side at an auction on Thursday. Ms Essien becomes the first Ghanaian to buy a club in Europe. As reported by the Associated Press, the acquisition does not include the club’s board, …

Cameroon came from behind to beat Egypt 2-1 and seal a fifth Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in a thrilling final. Vincent Aboubakar came off the bench to score a late goal to steer Cameroon to a 2-1 victory over Egypt in the final of the Gabon 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Libreville on Sunday (5 February). The victory …

Our special correspondent Adira Kallo reviews the 31st edition of the biennial international men’s football championship, the Africa Cup of Nations, taking place in Gabon from 14 January to 5 February. He writes that the world of football can confidently look forward to a classy display of the beautiful game at AFCON 2017 All eyes will focus on Gabon from …

The FIFA Council has unanimously decided in favour of increasing the number of teams playing at the World Cup from 32 to 48 with effect from the 2026 edition of the global sporting event. The world football’s supervisory and strategic body held its third meeting at the headquarters of FIFA in Zurich on 9 and 10 January, and decided on …

Former Super Eagles of Nigeria coach Sunday Oliseh has been appointed as the new head coach of Dutch second division side Fortuna Sittard. The 42-year-old former Nigeria captain signed a two-and-a-half year deal at the club. Oliseh who quit the Nigerian national team job in March is expected to resume duties as coach on 2 January 2017. “It’s a new …

I Am Bolt is a new documentary about Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, the athlete known as “the fastest man alive”. The directors of the film, brothers Gabe and Benjamin Turner, followed Bolt around for about two years, capturing the nine-times Olympic gold medallist in training and in competition, as well as in private life, relaxing at home with family and …

“This victory means a lot to me, that I can still become African champion, despite my age. It shows that nothing is impossible.”

Econet Media has added Formula 1 racing to its portfolio. The African broadcaster has successfully concluded a three-and-a-half-year deal with Formula One World Championship Limited which gives its free-to-air (FTA) platform, Kwesé Free Sports, exclusive free-to-air English language rights across sub-Saharan Africa, excluding South Africa. The deal means that Kwesé Free Sports will now broadcast same-day delayed coverage of Formula 1 racing …

Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng has been voted German Footballer of the Year by sports journalists in Germany, the German magazine kicker said. Boateng won the vote by a landslide after getting 163 votes, far more than fellow Bayern players Thomas Müller (95) and Robert Lewandowski (90). Boateng is the first defender to win the accolade since Bayern Munich and …

The inaugural version of the Nigerian Ambassador’s Cup Germany football tournament took place on 14 May in Berlin. The trophy was contested for by the chapters of the Nigerian Community Germany (NCG) e.V. Four teams – NCG Hamburg, NCG Wolfsburg, NCG Ausburg and NCG Berlin/Cottbus – participated in the final stages. The competition was organised by the national body of …

How former Nigeria’s national trainer, who suddenly died on 8 June, defeated prejudice against African coaches in Africa Tragedy struck African football in the early hours of 8 June when Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, former coach of Nigeria’s national team, the Super Eagles, suddenly died at 54 in Benin City. The former international football player and coach had lost his wife …