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Grace Amos published in Africa, African Countries and Places, African Countries and Places, African Facts, African News,

Kenya’s Edwin Kiptoo Wins 40th Athens Marathon.

Edwin Kiptoo of Kenya won the 40th Athens Marathon with a time that set a course record of two hours, ten minutes, and thirty-four seconds.

Over the course of the race’s second half, the 30-year-old Edwin Kiptoo steadily pulled away from his main rivals, the majority of whom were his fellow countrymen, finishing the final 10 kilometers by himself.

About a hundred individuals in the Panathenaic stadium in Athens waved Palestinian flags and unfurled a banner that said “Free Palestine” as Kiptoo crossed the finish line. Along the way, a few people carried and waved Palestinian flags.

Rhonzai Lokitam Kilimo of Kenya finished second at 2:12:36, while Felicien Muhitira of Rwanda finished third, his late charge just missing Lokitam’s victory.

Since 2001, 17 Kenyan runners have won the race, including Felix Kandie, who in 2014 set the previous record of 2:10:37.

The women’s race was won by Soukaina Atanane of Morocco in 2:31:52, placing her 19th overall; Caroline Jepchirchir of Kenya finished second in 2:32:19, and Gloria Privileggio of Greece placed third in 2:43:20.

The course of the Athens Marathon is mountainous, with nearly continuous climbing between kilometers 17 and 32 before a majority descent. Although British runner Bill Adcocks just missed the then-record by roughly a minute and a half, in 1969, he ran 2:11:07, which is not even close to the world’s best time due to this characteristic. Up until Italy’s Stefano Baldini ran 2:10:57 at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, his time remained unaltered. The next record holder was Kandie.

The marathon begins close to the spot where, in 490 BC, Athenians and their allies defeated a much bigger Persian army. According to legend, a messenger who traveled to Athens to declare the triumph perished on his way there.

The race concludes at the Panathenaic Stadium, a reconstructed ancient arena in the shape of a U made of marble that can hold up to 80,000 spectators and served as the site of the track events of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.

In the hamlet of Marathon, a record 20,322 racers registered to begin, surpassing the previous record of 20,041 established in 2019. In the first two races following the coronavirus epidemic, in 2021 and 2022, attendance had fallen by over 50%. The 2020 iteration was withdrawn.

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Grace Amos published in Africa, African Countries and Places, African Countries and Places, African Facts, African News,

Burundi Becomes 100th Member of FIFA’s Football Schools Programme.

In a ceremony held in a celebratory atmosphere at the Urunani Stadium in Buganda, outside Bujumbura, Burundi has become the 100th country to implement FIFA’s Football for Schools programme. 

 

The ceremony took place in the presence of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the Burundi Minister of East African Community Affairs, Youth, Sports and Culture, Gervais Abayeho, and the President of the Football Federation of Burundi, Alexandre Muyenge. 

 

FIFA President expressed his gratitude to the schools’ football project, FIFA, and Burundi for uniting the world. “We are uniting the world with a football project, with an education project, with a project that gives chance and opportunities to the youth, to the boys and girls of this wonderful country, Burundi”, he added.

The FIFA’s delegation consisted of FIFA Chief of Global Football Development, Arsene Wenger and Chairman of FIFA Referees Committee Pierluigi Collina, FIFA Director Member Associations Africa Gelson Fernandes, and FIFA Senior Football Advisor Youri Djorkaeff.

 

Football for Schools integrates football into the curriculum with the goal of increasing youth access to the game. Through the empowerment of children, the UNESCO-supported program advances the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN.

 

Since the Football for Schools app’s initial release in Puerto Rico in 2019, almost 1.5 million footballs have been provided, and the software has benefited over 23 million youngsters.

 

“Education is allowing young people to play football, and FIFA has made significant investments, particularly in Africa.” We have a lot of educational projects in Africa, so it’s a continent that means a lot to us,” Arsène Wenger stated. “Best of luck to every child. To give every young person the opportunity to play football is a massive undertaking. I hope that Burundi will soon host a large number of outstanding athletes.

 

In order to operationalize Football for Schools, 62 educators and master trainers from Bujumbura and the 18 regions of Burundi were taught by FIFA instructors Antonio Buenaño Sánchez and Melvin Mendy.

 

“This milestone of 100 FIFA Football For Schools member federations is an excellent opportunity to recognize the hard work, commitment, and selflessness of the entire FIFA team and particularly the Football For Schools team in serving member associations,” said Fatimata Sidibe, FIFA Director of Football for Schools.

 

“The 100 Burundian schoolchildren present at the celebration brought the stadium to its feet with their shouts of joy as they thanked the President of FIFA. The next step for Football For Schools will be to consolidate what has been achieved to ensure that member associations take ownership of Football For Schools and incorporate life skills into their curricula.” 

 

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Grace Amos published in Africa, African Countries and Places, African Countries and Places, African Entertainment News & Features, African Facts,

Tanzania Takes Home 2023 East and Central All Africa Women’s Golf Tourney.

Tanzania won the 2023 East and Central All Africa Challenge Trophy (EACAACT), a golf competition held in Kigali. They played a fantastic match.

Tanzania defeated six other nations to win the trophy in the five-day golf competition, which has taken place at the Kigali Golf Resort and Villas since October 29. Kenya came in second, Uganda made up the top three, and Zambia came in fourth.

Tanzania won overall, with four players from the top four teams taking home individual medals. Tanzanian player Victoria Elias expressed her satisfaction with her ability to contribute to her team’s victory in winning the championship on her first try as a member.

“I feel very elated and this trophy means so much to me,” Elias told Times Sport in an interview. “It is my first time in the national team and everything went well. Rwanda has a very good golf course and we proved ourselves.”

In addition, Ashley Awuor of Kenya won other individual honors. She was awarded the event’s player of the year, while 14-year-old Bianca Ngecu of Kenya took home the title of youngest player of the tournament. The fan favorite award went to Mauritius’s seasoned Francine Delloye.

During the award ceremony, Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju, the Minister of Sports, thanked the winners and emphasized the advantages of the golf competition. She felt that it provides a platform for women in the sport to be elevated and empowered.

“This tournament has been a celebration of women’s empowerment. Golf is a sport that people of all ages can play and it entails discipline, sportsmanship, and teamwork. It also helps women to develop their leadership skills and confidence,” Munyangaju indicated

“This tournament has been a success on many fronts. It has been a success in terms of showcasing the talent and skills of women golfers. It has also been an avenue for sports tourism and, most importantly, it strengthens the bond between our countries.”

“I am proud of the progress we have made in promoting women’s golf in Rwanda. I am sure that the EAC AACT tournament will continue to inspire and motivate women golfers throughout our region,” she added

Mauritius is scheduled to host the EACAACT women’s golf competition in 2025.

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Victory Amah published in Africa, African Countries and Places, African Countries and Places, African Entertainment News & Features, African News,

Ethiopian Dublin Marathon Winner Breaks Personal Record.

The winner of the 2023 Irish Life Dublin City Marathon has crossed the finish line setting a new course record, after running the 26.2-mile race in wet and rainy conditions.

Over 22,500 people entered the 2023 marathon, which is in its 42nd year. It is Ireland’s largest marathon event and the fourth largest in Europe. The race, which started at Fitzwilliam Square in the city’s center, saw participants running through Dublin, into the Phoenix Park, taking in areas including Inchicore and Terenure, and finishing at Merrion Square.

 

Kemal Husen from Ethiopia won this year’s marathon in two hours six minutes and 52 seconds, a new record for the Irish Life Dublin Marathon.

Second place was Geofrey Kusuro from Uganda who crossed the line after two hours, 10 minutes, and 45 seconds.

Stephen Scullion was the first Irish person across the line and came in third place. Mr. Scullion of Clonliffe Harriers AC ran 26.2 miles in two hours, 11 minutes, and 51 seconds and claimed the national title.

 

Some Negash from Ethiopia was the first woman across the line, with a run of two hours, 26 minutes, and 22 seconds. The second woman across the line was Joan Kipyatich of Kenya, who ran the marathon in two hours, 27 minutes, and four seconds.

 

Genet Habela Abdurkadir from Ethiopia was the third woman across the line with a race time of two hours, 27 minutes, and 49 seconds.

Ann Marie McGlynn of Letterkenny A.C. was the first Irish woman to finish the marathon after two hours, 34 minutes, and 13 seconds and claimed the national title.

 

For Kemal Husen, this was his second-ever marathon. Kemal Husen beat over one minute off his first record from earlier this year. Excitedly, he said, “I’m so happy. I did not expect to run this time”

 

Negash’s compatriot, Genet Habela Abdurkadir finished under two hours, 27 minutes, and 49 seconds for the third spot.

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Grace Amos published in Africa, African Countries and Places, African Countries and Places, African Facts, African News,

Morocco, Portugal, Spain Unveils Joint Bid to Host 2030 FIFA Tournament.

The official announcement of Morocco, Portugal, and Spain‘s joint candidacy to host the FIFA World Cup in 2030 has been made. During a conference in Rabat, the presidents of the three national football associations signed a letter.

The participating nations have committed to showcasing the diversity of football, promoting international cooperation, and creating a lasting social impact in all three countries as well as globally. They have also promised that the tournament will help the football ecosystem and be run as a small, approachable, and fan-focused event.

With the FIFA Council having approved Spain, Portugal, and Morocco as the only bidders for the 2030 competition, it will be the first FIFA World Cup to be held on more than one continent.

The FIFA Congress must still accept Spain, Portugal, and Morocco’s hosting of the tournament, and it is also contingent upon a successful bidding process—both of which are anticipated to be formalities.

In addition, throughout the competition, special celebration matches are scheduled to occur in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay to commemorate the one hundred years since Uruguay hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 1930.

The Presidents of the three national football associations also gave their remarks on the symbolic occasion.

President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, Fouzi Lekjaa said, “It is a World Cup that will help us further unite our common civilisations established more than ten centuries ago. The three countries share a common history, a common present, and are looking forward towards a common future.”

President of the Portuguese Football Federation, Fernando Gomes said, “This is a historic moment because it officially begins our process with FIFA to be able to organise the FIFA World Cup in 2030. This is a great occasion for us, and highly symbolic given it will be the centenary of the first ever edition of the tournament. But 2030 will be much more than the celebration of the past”.

Pedro Rocha, President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation also remarked, “This candidacy is a message of hope and unity because this World Cup will be a demonstration of uniting cultures, and the promotion of inclusion, diversity, and respect. It will be a World Cup with a significant social legacy that will remain in Morocco, Portugal, Spain – and around the world.”

The Presidents however, stated that it is too early to make a decision regarding the stadiums that will be utilized as part of the proposal. By the end of next month, the three federations are required to submit bidding agreements in accordance with FIFA’s bidding process for the event.

 

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Kenya Introduces Cash Prize Program for Athletes.

The government of Kenya has launched a new cash prize program that offers Sh5 million for breaking a world record and Faith Kipyegon and Kelvin Kiptum are the first recipients of the program. 

On Wednesday, Ababu Namwamba, the Cabinet Secretary for Sports told the Senate’s full chamber that the government has dramatically increased winners’ payouts for Sh3 million, Sh2 million, and Sh1 million for gold, silver, and bronze, respectively. 

The Cabinet Secretary informed the senators that the Hongera Awards were also introduced, and among other firsts, legends dating back to the 1960s were honored. In addition, Sh25 million in cash award arrears dating back 11 years were also resolved. 

                   

Namwamba pointed out that over the previous five years, betting operations generated Sh48.2 billion in money for the Sports, Arts, and Social Development Fund, which also distributed Sh41.7 billion to other sectors during that time. According to him, the sports sector received 65% of the payments, social development received 30%, and the arts and culture sector received 5%.

Namwamba said, “In the last Financial Year, 2022/2023 the fund realized revenues of Sh10.4 billion, the Oversight Board approved the disbursement of Sh7.9 billion to various sectors: Sh6.3 billion to the sports sector Sh1.2 billion to the social development sector, and Sh324 million to culture and the arts sector”.

 He stated that athletes were invited to the public trials, which were held at Nyayo National Stadium on July 7 and 8, based on their compliance with anti-doping testing requirements, meeting the entry standards for the Budapest 2023 World Athletics Championships, and being top finishers in the National Championships 2023.  

All invited athletes, including those with wild cards, were required to compete in order to be considered for selection, according to Namwamba, who was responding to a question from Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei. All invited athletes were also required to sign a commitment form to show their commitment to the national team.

The CS informed the Senate that all athletes invited to the trials were required to bring their passports and that following the trials, accommodations were made for all selected athletes to meet the administrative and documentation requirements.

“Once selected, athletes were expected to adhere to the rules and regulations outlined for the national team camp, athletes participating in the trials were personally responsible for collecting their own bib numbers at Nyayo Stadium on Thursday, July 6, 2023, between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm,” he said.

He explained to the House that the first two competitors to cross the finish line were chosen automatically provided they met the World Athletics Entry Standards. Athletes who wanted to compete in multiple events were welcome to do so, but the selection panel had the final say on whether or not they could compete in both events at the world championships.

Namwamba stated that the selection panel had the power to choose the third athlete in the events mentioned with wild card athletes, who are given the opportunity to compete in sports competitions without having to pass through qualifying rounds or achieve a certain ranking required to compete in the trials.

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Grace Amos published in Africa, African Countries and Places, African Facts, African News, African People,

Seychelles Bags 4 Gold Medals at Regional Sailing Competition.

At the 2023 Regional Sailing Championships in Mauritius, Seychelles took home four gold medals, demonstrating that the island nation is still a prominent force in the world of water sports.  Odysius Melanie, Alison Hoareau, Roy Govinden, and Jean-Marc Gardette were the gold medalists.

Sailors from Seychelles and Reunion gathered for the Regional Sailing competition, which was held in Mauritius from September 9 to September 16, after the sport was added to the schedule of the 11th Indian Ocean Island Games.

Gold medalist Melanie and six other sailors raced in twelve races of the optimist class, winning nine of them. “I am extremely happy, as the competition was not easy, but I did my best and managed to come out on top,” said Melanie. Joshua Allccon, a fellow Seychellois, finished in second place with a score of 19, although he took first place with a final total of 11.

           

Mateo Draboucan, a Mauritian who finished first in one of the 12 events, received the bronze medal.

Alison Hoareau was able to win seven of the 12 races in the women’s International Laser Class Association 4 (ILCA4) to take first place overall with a net score of 13. She finished ahead of Samantha Faure and Ella Constance, two other Seychellois.  

“I am satisfied with how the competition went, especially this being the first time sailing at this location,” said Hoareau, adding that it was tough because of the current and irregular wind conditions. “I think this shows that sailing is one of the sports that, if it were part of the IOIG, would have brought more gold medals to Seychelles,” she added.  

The second gold medal for Seychelles was won in the ILCA 7 class, where Roy Govinden had to put up a good battle to hold off O’Bryan Brasse of Mauritius and win race after race after race. Govinden was successful in winning seven of the races, compared to Brasse’s five victories, and had a net score of 13, as opposed to Brasse’s 15.

“The competition was tight between myself and O’bryan, but I managed to stay focused right till the end to win it,” Govinden said. Christopher Bon of Mauritius won the bronze medal.

In windsurfing, Seychelles won its fourth gold medal thanks to Jean-Marc Gardette, who won seven races overall and finished with a net score of 13. He came in ahead of Mauritius’ Julien Morel, and Jacquelin Languila, another Seychellois, came in third. “I feel super happy and motivated after beating the Mauritians for a second consecutive year,” Gardette said. Speaking of the team’s performance, Gardette, added: “It shows the progress and commitment we have made so far as a team of highly motivated windsurfers to bring home the best results, which also shows as we could have done if we were not excluded from the IOIG.”

Wavel Ramkalawan, the president of the Seychelles, gave the team a note of congratulations, saying, “Congratulations on the excellent results. You have all made Seychelles proud and ensured our flag is raised to the highest level. Continue to train hard and maintain discipline. Once again congratulations to everyone who formed part of the Seychelles Sailing team during these Championships.” 

He also sent his best wishes to Neddy Radegonde, a Seychelles kite surfer who suffered critical injuries while competing.

The Seychelles finished the competition with four gold, one silver, and two bronze medals.

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D’Tigress Wins Historic Fourth African Title.

D’Tigress, the Nigeria national women’s basketball team emerged as the champions of Africa again after their electrifying 84-74 win over Senegal in the final of the 2023 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket tournament. 

The female national team’s victory on Saturday was historic as the Nigerian Ladies have the second basketball team ever after Senegal to win the title four consecutive times. 

The team waited for 12 long years with no title to show for their efforts but eventually ended the drought as they won the championship title in 2017. D’Tigress then followed up with victories in 2019, 2021, and now 2023 in a fantastic way. 

At the beginning of the tournament, not many saw the light in the D’Tigress because they were largely dominated by rookies except for one or two experienced players. Although from their first match against Congo DR, Rena Wakama, the team’s coach continued to shut down critics.

After they played against the host Rwanda and defeating in the semi-final, D’Tigress had sent a message they were going for the top prize and that was what played out at the BK Arean in Kigali on Saturday. 

During the first minutes of the match, D’Tigress’ Amy Okonkwo scored the first two points in the first quarter and controlled it winning 19-10 and still had controll in the second quarter though with little margin of 24-21. At half time, the team was already halfway through to achieving their goal with 43-42 points taking the lead. 

D’Tigress won the last quarter of the match with 22-17 and evetually winning the game with 84-74 points.

Additionally and a double win for Nigeria’s national team, the coach of D’Tigress, Wakama is the first female coach to win the Afrobasket title. Many believed in her and the fact that there is room to dream of bigger things in the future.

The team’s Amy Okonkwo was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, as she finished the final with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 assists. 

With their victory at the 2023 FIBA Women’s Afrobasketball Championship, it has secured them spot to compete at the women’s basketball event of the 2024 Olympics. 

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Victor Osimhen Awarded Best African International Player at Ghana Football Awards

Victor Osimhen, the 24-year-old Super Eagles and Napoli Striker, has won the Best African International Player Award at the Ghana Football Awards held on Sunday. 

 

Osimhen was announced the winner at the event held at Accra International Conference Centre. 

 

The Nigerian International striker  was voted the best African Player of the Year ahead of Egypt and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, Riyad Mahrez, Manchester City winger and Morocco’s Yassine Bounou.

 

It was Osimhen’s first time winning the award, and he became the first Nigerian to do so.

 

This season, Victor Osimhen has previously won two individual prizes.

 

Osimhen became the first African player to score 26 goals in the Italian topflight.

 

For the first time since the 1989–1990 season, he helped Napoli win the 2022/23 Serie A title

 

He was crowned Serie A’s Best Striker for the season just ended.

 

He also scored two goals as the Super Eagles defeated Sierra Leone 3-2 to qualify for the 2023 African Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire.

 

Victor Osimhen awarded Best African International Player at Ghana Football Awards

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Algerian Footballer, First from his Country to Win UEFA Champion League Title.

Algerian footballer Riyad Mahrez became the first player in Algeria to win the coveted UEFA Champions League title in over 30 years after Manchester City beat Inter Milan at the games.

Mahrez, who plays as a winger for the club, also became the second Algerian overall to win the top European trophy, after Rabah Madjer achieved the feat with Portuguese side FC Porto in 1987.

Manchester City defeated Italian side Inter Milan in a 1-0 match in Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium after Spanish player Rodri scored the winning goal in the 68th minute after a first half of no goal.

The English team’s victory on Saturday also gave them their first-ever UEFA Champions League trophy, capping off a stellar season in the sport which saw them become Premier League and FA Cup champions. The Champions League trophy sealed what is known as a “treble” in football for the team, which is when a club wins three significant trophies in the same season.

In the match against Inter Milan, Mahrez who captains the Algeria national team did not play although cheered on his teammates from the sidelines as a substitute. However, having scored three goals in nine matches, he proved to be a key player throughout the competition.

The Algerian winger celebrated with his teammates on the pitch over their victory as well as his family and wife, Taylor Ward English model later in the evening. He also celebrated the win on his social media pages with a picture of himself holding the prestigious trophy, captioning the photo with “A dream come true, #alhamdulilah”.

Faz Hussain social media personality and Manchester luxury limousine company who is associated with the club was seen saying “Alhamdulilah”, the Arabic word for “praise be to God” with several players of the club including Mahrez, in commemoration of their victory.

Mahrez has played for Manchester City since 2018 and is one of the Premier League’s most-known Muslim players and has previously expressed support for the Palestinian cause. Mahrez, born in France made his international debut for Algeria in 2014 and represented them at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021. His team won the 2019 tournament and in 2016 was named CAF’s African Footballer of the Year.

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Morocco Announces Friendly Games Ahead of 2023 Women’s World Cup.

On Wednesday, the Moroccan Royal Football Federation (FRMF) announced that the Women’s national football team is warming up for the forthcoming 2023 World Cup with a series of friendly games in preparation for next month’s World tournament. 

The Moroccan football governing body has disclosed the three countries that the team, led by coach Reynald Pedros, will face in their preparations for the tournament scheduled to take place from 20th July to August 20th in Australia and New Zealand.

Morocco’s Atlas Lionesses will kick off their friendly fixtures against Italy on July 1, then a match scheduled against Switzerland on July 5. The third and last friendly match for them will take place on July 16 against Jamaica as stated in the FRMF statement. However, venues for these matches have yet to be announced.

The Lionesses team will have numerous opportunities to improve their tactics and develop team camaraderie throughout the World Cup warm-up games.

As they attempt to attain their optimum form prior to the famous competition, coach Reynald Pedros will constantly analyze his players’ performances during these games. The North African women’s national team will be competing in their first Women’s World Cup, and they will face difficult opponents.

The Lionesses have been drawn in Group H alongside Colombia, Germany, and South Korea in the 2023 World Cup. they will commence their World Cup campaign on July 24 against Germany two-time champions and runners-up in 1995. 

On July 30, they will face South Korea, a team that has reached the round of 16 twice (2003 and 2015) and was eliminated in the group stage only once (2019). While on August 3, the Lionesses will play their final group match against Colombia.

The Cafeteras took part in two prior iterations but were eliminated both times in the round of 16.

A major turning point for Moroccan women’s football is the country’s participation in the World Cup. A new generation of female football players will definitely be motivated by the team’s development and accomplishments on the international scene, which will boost the sport’s popularity in Morocco.

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FAM Distributes Charity Shield Proceeds to Cyclone Freddy Survivors.

The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) collaborated with NBS Bank and the Malawi Red Cross Society to distribute funds amounting to K28.7 million on Thursday. The funds were raised from this year’s FAM NBS Bank Charity Shield match, which collected K30.5 million in gate proceeds. 

The objective of the distribution is to provide assistance to those affected by Cyclone Freddy-induced floods and support former Flames players.

The distribution happened in four categories. A total of K23 million has been allocated to construct five low-cost houses, four of which will be built in Ntauchira Village, T/A Likoswe in Chiradzulu. Additionally, one house will be built for the family of the late Blantyre-based Under-16 player, Mahala Mpholiwa, from Genesis Academy. Unfortunately, the floods in March washed away the Mpholiwa family’s house, resulting in their tragic loss.

 

Furthermore, K1 million has been provided to the family of the late former Flames and Mighty Wanderers goalkeeper, Boniface Maganga. Chitipa United’s head coach, MacDonald Nginde Mtetemera, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves coach, Enos Chatama, and Malawi national beach soccer team captain, Sandram Sadi, each received K1 million. 

Former Tigers goalkeeper, Clement Mkwalula, was granted K1.5 million in support. After the distribution, FAM Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Alfred Gunda expressed his satisfaction with the partnership between FAM, NBS Bank, and the Malawi Red Cross Society. He acknowledged their invaluable assistance in making the Charity Shield a success and enabling them to reach out to the beneficiaries. Gunda also mentioned that once the low-cost housing projects are completed, the remaining funds will be used to provide starter packs for the families to help them get back on their feet.

NBS Bank’s Chief Executive Officer, Kwanele Ngwenya, emphasized the bank’s commitment to social responsibility and its eagerness to support initiatives like the Charity Shield. 

He commended the success of the 2023 event and expressed their willingness to continue supporting it in the future.

Innocent Majiya, the president of the Malawi Red Cross Society, applauded FAM and NBS for their initiative in assisting those affected by Cyclone Freddy. He encouraged other well-wishers to come forward and support the people affected by the cyclone’s devastating effects.

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Mukansanga to Officiate at 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

  • She became the first African woman referee to officiate at the Men’s World Cup in 2022 in Qatar.

  • She was selected alongside three other African women referees.

  • The tournament is to take place in Australia and New Zealand.

Salma Mukansanga, Rwandan international referee has been selected to officiate in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup scheduled to hold from July 20th to August 20th in Australia and New Zealand. 

34-year-old Mukansanga made history at the 2022 Men’s World Cup in Qatar where she became the first African woman referee to officiate at the tournament. She is currently ranked among the top African referees, having also been the first woman to handle the men’s game at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

The referee was selected alongside three other African female referees including Vincentia Amedome from Togo, Morocco’s Bouchra Karboubi, and Akhona Makalima from South Africa. She has also officiated at the Olympics games, WAFCON, and CAF Women’s Champions League.

The 9th edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup will bring together 32 teams to compete for the glittering trophy. The tournament will be the first Women’s World Cup to take place under FIFA’s overhauled commercial structure that was announced in 2021 and was for the first time “unbundled” the women’s game from the men’s, allowing brands to take up dedicated partnerships exclusively for its women’s football programmes.

In 2022 when she became the first woman to referee at the African Cup Nations, she led an all-woman officiating team of Fatiha Jermoumi from Morocco, Cameroon’s Carine Atemzabong and Bouchra Karboubi from Morocco as the VAR.  She was also an official at the 2019 FIFA Women’s Cup that was held in France. 

Mukansanga was the fourth official when France, the defending champions, defeated Australia 4-1. She also earned recognition as one of the BBC 100 Women in December 2022. 

 

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Nigeria: NLO Introduces New Technology to Ease Talent Activities

  • The Nationwide League One (NLO) unveiled its new technology to support agents/scouts’ work ahead of the 2023 season.

The Nationwide League One (NLO), Nigeria’s third-tier football league, has stated plans to employ a new technological innovation to aid player agents’ and scouts’ work ahead of the 2023 season scheduled to commence on May 3rd, 2023 at Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano. 

The NLO said that using a digital platform that enables the agent or scout to evaluate their objectives without being physically present, the invention would give football scouts/agents access to several categories of U-19 footballers with full options and a history of players.

According to NLO’s Media Officer, Abdulgafar Oladimeji, who gave his remark on the innovation while revealing fixtures of the 2023 season, said that the introduction of the technological scouting device was primarily intended to showcase the skills and talents of young footballers in the league to international clubs.

The NLO’s Media Officer revealed that with the invention, interested agents scouting players in the country would readily do so through the Internet. “Gone are the days when international club owners are invited to watch and pick talented players, NLO has come up with a website through which international clubs watch live matched and make their choices of talented players”, he added.

Oladimeji actively promoted media participation in the NLO season this year, as he said that the organization had gone digital and genuine sponsors had contributed sufficient funds to ensure the league’s success. “No football project can prosper without the media. The sponsors come in due to the extent of media coverage. It is now mandatory that any club participating in the NLO league must have a media department”.

According to Oladimeji, eight teams are expected to trade tackles in Kano, likewise, other states in the north, and the top teams in each state would compete against one another in an interstate competition from which four teams will be chosen to represent the north in the national championship.

He assured that the NLO is greatly committed to ensuring that only players within the age bracket stipulated are featured in the league, noting that the organization has introduced anti-forgery processes to hinder the tendencies of fraud and corruption in the licensing process.

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Nigerian Billionaire Funds Record-Breaking Football Competition

  • The winning team will go home with $1 billion and the runners-up will get $200 million.

Dozy Mmobuosi, a football investor and billionaire, is sponsoring the Dozy Mmobuosi Super Cup Football Tournament, a bigger and more profitable football competition in Nigeria with a record-breaking prize fund of 1.2 billion.

Twelve of the top Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) clubs will compete in the event, with each team getting a $20 million appearance fee. The victorious team will take home $1 billion, and the runners-up will get $200 million. The decision to increase the tournament’s size was taken in response to stakeholders’ and fans’ growing desire for more elite football competition.

Mmobuosi underlined that the additional financing would enable organizations to devote more funds to personnel, facilities, and infrastructure, luring elite players to the league and boosting the level of football in Nigeria as a whole. The event will be put on by the Dozy Mmobuosi Foundation under the direction of the Nigeria Premier Football League Ltd by Guaranty in collaboration with the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

Additionally, Mmobuosi is almost ready to purchase Championship team Sheffield United is significant. The English Football League (EFL) is still investigating his ongoing attempts to purchase the franchise.

Mmobuosi is also a Nigerian fintech entrepreneur in talks with United’s current owner, Prince Abdullah bin Musa’ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The EFL hierarchy is also researching the funding and business options of Mmobuosi.

Tingo Inc., the business owned by Mmobuosi, recently released its most recent financial figures following an audit by a Deloitte branch based in the US. Members of Mmobuosi’s inner circle feel that the statistics should give his application more credibility even though they are not intended to hasten the EFL’s decision-making process.

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Nigeria’s Agbalaka, Njoku Listed Among CAF ‘Best XI’

Nigeria’s Flying Eagles duo Solomon Agbalaka and Augustine Njoku have been listed among the CAF Best XI of the 2023 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in Egpyt. Africa’s football governing body, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) released the list of the game’s best players that spotlighted four players of the winning team of Senegal.

The CAF list also featured Gambia and Congo with two players each and one from Uganda. The Flying Eagles defenders were the only Nigerians on the list that was dominated by Senegalese footballers.

19-year-old Solomon Agbalaka plays as the left-back defender for the Flying Eagles as an ever-present figure, scoring one goal as Nigeria finished third in the competition. He was named Man-of-Match winner in the 1-0 win against hosts, Egypt and Mozambique in the tournament’s group stages.

Augustine Chimezie Njoku on the other hand is an 18-year-old right-back defender and mainstay of the team. He played four games for the Nigerian side although missed out on the beginning lineups in the semifinals and 3rd place final. He was the key player in Nigeria’s 1-0 win against Uganda in the quarter-finals, earning Nigeria a place in the 2023 U-20 World Cup.

Some other Nigerian players envisaged to make the CAF XI but missed out include Benjamin Frederick, who plays as a center-back, and Ibrahim Muhammed – a forward.

Nigeria, formerly called the African Youth Championship and a seven-time winner of the tournament, is expected to join Tunisia, Gambia, and Senegal as African representatives at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia that scheduled to hold May 20 and June 11, 2023.

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Israel Breaks Personal Record.

Israel Mobolaji Temitayo Odunayo Oluwafemi Owolabi Adesanya was born in Lagos, Nigeria, on the 22nd of June, 1989. He is a professional mixed martial artist, kickboxer, and former boxer with multiple championships in all three disciplines.

Adesanya attended  Chrisland School, Opebi and enrolled in its Taekwondo after-school club until he was removed by his mother due to an injury. In 1999, he relocated to Ghana with his family for 10 months, but due to his parents wanting their children to receive a well-recognised higher education he settled in Rotorua, New Zealand, at age 10 and attended Rotorua Boys’ High school. H

Adesanya was bullied during his high school years and attributes the mistreatment he experienced to his decision to pursue martial arts later in life.

He has won so many fights; in May 2010, he won the first fight in a seven-fight winning streak. He made his Glory debut at Glory 15, he was defeated by his opponent but in a rematch at Glory of Heroes 3, he won by a unanimous decision.

Israel Adesanya recently fought with Alex Pereira to reclaim the UFC Middleweight Championship and he knocked him out. Some celebrities placed bets on Israel to win; Drake placed a $400,000 bet on him to win by knock out. He has won $1.84 million. This puts an end to his 0-3 losing streak against Pereira. Drake also placed a $500,000 bet on Israel Adesanya to defeat Alex Pereira and won $885,000.

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Nigerian Goalkeeper Earns International Recognition

  • Vincent Enyeama was named the greatest African goalkeeper of all time by IFFHS. 

The International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) named former Nigerian International Vincent Enyeama the greatest African goalkeeper ever. Established in 1984 by Alfredo Poge in Leipzig, IFFHS is an organization that records the history of association football. 

According to the list, the IFFHS released of the greatest goalkeepers in each federation, Enyeama was selected from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the ranking was decided from 1987 to 2022.

Vincent Enyeama has represented Nigeria three times at the FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan in 2002, South Africa in 2010, and Brazil in 2014. At the 2013 AFCON in South Africa, he featured in all the Super Eagles’ matches and they became the African Champion. In 2003 and 2004, he assisted Enyimba in winning the CAF Champions League titles. 

Vincent, despite his below-average height for a goalkeeper, is popularly known as one of the greatest African goalkeepers of all time and of his era. Throughout his senior career which spanned almost 20 years, he played for Ibom Stars, Enyimba, Iwuanyanwu Nationalem Bnei Yehuda, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Lille, and Maccabi Tel Aviv. 

From 2002 to October 2015, he was a member of the Nigeria national team, serving as its captain from 2013 until his retirement from international football in 2015. He held the record for most caps won by a Nigerian player with 101 until Ahmed Musa beat him in November 2021. He also held the crown of the IFFHS CAF Men’s Team of the Decade from 2011-2020.

In addition, the world football governing body, FIFA is not associated with IFFHS, although FIFA has cited awards and records conducted by IFFHS.

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CAF Announces Dates for AFCON Cote d’Ivoire 2023

  • This will be the 34th edition of the tournament.

 

The CAF has officially confirmed the dates of the Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023, with the opening match scheduled to take place on January 13th, 2024 at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan. On February 11th, the four-week competition between the top 24 countries in Africa will be concluded.

 

 

The competition will be in its 34th year. After taking place there for the first time in 1984, when Cameroon won for the first time, the month-long competition returns to Cote d’Ivoire. The route to Cote D’Ivoire is progressively taking shape as the world prepares for Africa’s largest football show as the Afcon qualifiers near their conclusion.

 

 

Following the spectacular qualifying round this past weekend, six nations joined the hosts, Cote d’Ivoire, in the competition. They are Senegal, the reigning African champions, South Africa, Tunisia, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Morocco, and Morocco. Also, Veron Mosengo-Omba, general secretary of the CAF, added that the bi-annual assignment’s final draw will take place in September of this year.

 

In due course, the time and location will be determined.

The African football governing body anticipates record global TV audiences and stadium attendances for next year’s edition of its flagship competition, which also currently holds the record as being Africa’s biggest event. This is due to the rapidly growing global interest in CAF competitions that have been recorded in the last few months.

 

 

With the introduction of cutting-edge broadcast technology and digital engagement, CAF has made significant strides in enhancing the viewing and stadium attendance experience of its competitions, as is evident in the recently concluded CAF competitions. This has led to the creation of a world-class product that is consumed in real-time across the globe.

 

 

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is the governing authority of beach soccer, futsal, and association football in Africa. It was founded on February 8th, 1957 at Khartoum Sudan’s Grand Hotel by the national football associations of Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa, and Sudan.

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Okocha’s story finds expression in “Jay Jay: The Chosen One”.

 

  • Jay Jay Okocha is considered by many as the kind of player that shows up once in several decades.
  • His impact in the game of soccer is not easy to erase.
  • More and more people, especially from younger generations, will identify with his exploits after seeing the creative work put together in honor of this icon.

 

Former Nigerian super-star footballer, Augustine Jay Jay Okocha, after more than a decade of hanging his playing boots, will be back on screen, this time he will neither be playing soccer nor playing the role of a pundit for media houses during key matches; he will have his story retold in an animated series titled ‘Jay Jay: The Chosen One.’ Fans of the international sports star will be treated to 13 episodes of Okocha’s passion for football and his love for the animal kingdom which bestows superpowers on him in return for his fight against illegal poaching; all simulated in this enthralling animated series.

 

Reports say that the show is essentially a reimagining of his childhood days. This Showmax’s first attempt at creating an original animated series will spotlight an 11-year-old Okocha and his dreams of playing for his school at a significant football contest with a team composed of his rag-tag friends. The series parades a robust Nigerian cast, led by Prince Unigwe who plays Jay Jay, along-side veteran actor Chinedu Ikedieze of the hilarious ‘Aki and PawPaw’ fame, Samuel Ajibola, Eric Obinna, Pamilerin Ayodeji, and others.

 

 

The icon did not hide his excitement; he says he feels quite celebrated and even animated about the idea to create an animation that recreates his childhood. About the work, Okocha said, “I’m honored to have an animated series that reimagines my childhood. Jay Jay: The Chosen One is going to bring back good childhood memories as well as inspire young children who have dreams to be football players.”

 

Jay Jay featured quite prominently in three World Cups for the Nigerian national team, the Super Eagles, between 1993 and 2006, and led the same national team to Olympic victory at the games in Atlanta, in 1996. Jay Jay: The Chosen One stands out as an apt acknowledgement of Okocha’s input to football, in Nigeria and globally. It represents his lasting legacy in the global soccer scene. The talented playmaker was a member of the Super Eagles squad that lifted the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations trophy in Tunisia, in 1994; he has about 73 caps to his name.

 

 

At club level, Jay Jay had successful sessions in Turkey, for Fenerbahce. He also frequently featured flagrantly in France’s PSG fixtures, and for English Premier League side Bolton Wanderers. Okocha also played prominently in Germany and Qatar, then, finally retired in the United Kingdom in 2008 after his stint with Hull City. He is regarded as one of the most skillful offensive midfielders the game of football has ever seen; an all-time great, and he is also considered by a lot of people as the greatest footballer to ever emerge from Nigeria.

 

For Showmax, the series, which will be produced by Nihilent Limited alongside 5th Dimension as well as animation studio I-Realities, is the first shot at creating an animated work. They said, through a spokesperson, that the show would “give Nigerian children of all ages the opportunity to see themselves represented in animated form which is positive, humorous and educational” and “enchant and motivate kids across our continent through fantasy adventures as well as the power of sport.”

 

 

Ms. Yolisa Phahle, CEO of Showmax and Connected Video at MultiChoice says, “Not only is Jay Jay: The Chosen One another locally inspired Showmax Original, it marks the beginning of our adventures in animation. This is a show we believe will find audiences globally and shines the spotlight on yet another world-class African achiever that we hope will be enjoyed by kids and the entire family.”

 

Nihilent Limited’s director and Executive Vice Chairman, Mr. LC Singh, said, “I always knew that creating a sports-based animation series for kids would be challenging and rewarding at the same time. The amount of work that goes into every single frame is immense, but seeing the final product come to life makes it all worth it.”

 

The launch of the series has left many fans of the icon as elated as he is.  Watch the trailer of the creative work here https://youtu.be/Bk840Nt-0ls .

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RWANDA HOSTS 73RD FIFA CONGRESS.

  • The 73rd edition of the FIFA Congress was hosted in Kigali from the 13th to the 17th of March.
  • The renovated stadium was inaugurated and renamed after the legendary Brazilian footballer.
  • Rwanda is banking on expanding its tourism by positioning itself as Africa’s sports hub hosting major competitions.

The 73rd edition of FIFA Congress took off on the 13th of March and lasted till the 17th of March in Kigali. It brought together about 2,000 delegates from 211-member associations and other football stakeholders.

The event focused on a range of issues facing football, including governance, ethics, and the development of the sport at all levels.

The renovated Nyamirambo Stadium, which is now renamed after the legendary Brazilian footballer Pele, was inaugurated during the event. The capacity of the stadium was increased to 15,000 in a revamp that was partly funded by FIFA to the tune of over $350,000. Rwanda also invested Rwf160 million (about $160,000) in 2021 to upgrade Amahoro stadium, increasing its seating capacity from 25,000 to 45,000. The revamping is set to be completed next year.

Rwanda is banking on expanding its tourism by positioning itself as Africa’s sports hub hosting major competitions. The country eyes raising $800 million in sports tourism by next year.

In July 2021, The country hosted the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tours for both men and women and the Basketball Africa League in May of the same year.

Rwanda was also the third African country to host the Ironman 70.3 Triathlon, attracting nearly 2,000 athletes from 20 countries.

Kigali has also won the bid to host the 2025 World Road Cycling Championships, the first time it will be held on the African continent.

The country’s partnership with Arsenal and Paris Saint Germain in the Visit Rwanda campaign generated $445 million in tourism revenues, with over one million visitors in 2022, according to government figures.

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FIFA LAUNCHES ‘FOOTBALL FOR SCHOOLS’ PROGRAM IN RWANDA

  • Rwanda becomes the 14th country to implement the programme in Africa and the 50th globally.

Following a successful launch in Kigali, Rwanda Football Association (FERWAFA) has become the 50th member association to implement the Football for Schools (F4S) programme under the world football governing body, FIFA. 

The launch ceremony involved 100 local school children between the age of 4-12 years old and it was attended by FIFA’s Secretary General, Fatma Samoura, Fifa Senior Football Advisor Youri Djorkaeff, and other FIFA Legends of the likes of Houssine Kharja, Amanda Dlamini and Herita Ilunga, as well as FERWAFA President Olivier Mugabo and other relevant Rwandan personnel.

At the eighth FIFA Council, the Football for Schools (F4S) was first created in Kigali and the first in Rwanda. The FIFA and UNESCO took a step further to put the plan in motion by signing a Memorandum of Understanding and since then 50 additional countries have rolled out this programme. In the CECAFA region, Rwanda is the second nation to be part of the programme, making the country the 14th in Africa to implement it.

In cooperation with UNESCO, the programme was launched and created to foster targeted life skills and talents through football and contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and also to contribute to the education and empowerment of children.

During the launch ceremony that took place at the Stade de IPRC in Kicukiro, Kigali, Fatma Samoura the FIFA Secretary General pointed out the F4S’s impact, with an expansion across Africa and the world. “This programme has one ambition; through the beautiful game, to teach life skills to children, to make them more tolerant of diversity, to make them embrace the differences they see in other peers, to be more alert to the world we are living in, and to protect the environment”.

She continued saying “there will also be learning; how to respect their country, how to respect their elders, and how to respect the community. Also how to accept loss, analyze failure and bounce back and get ready for new challenges”.

According to the FIFA Secretary General, the programme involves 700 million schoolchildren around the world and it “aims to make them the best citizens and better agencies for change”. She claims that they have 27 trained coach educators which means that programme is ready to be rolled out in 4,000 schools, and sooner 20,000 footballs will be dispatched to set the ball in motion.

Fatimata Sidibe, Director of Football for Schools appreciated the impact of the programme that is being implemented globally, as she said “Football for Schools is an amazing programme and its launch in Rwanda is full of symbolism”. She expressed her gratitude to the Rwandan government for its collaboration on the project launch in Kigali. 

In addition, with an investment of $100 million, the programme will be implemented through a partnership between the Rwandan ministries of Sports and Education and the FERWAFA.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Aurore Mimosa Munyangaju the Minister of Sports in Rwanda said: “the football for School programme comes as a contributor to Rwanda’s vision of being a sports hub and there is no better way than starting with children”.

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Uganda in the process of becoming Africa’s third nuclear-powered country

 

 

  • The government of Uganda has shown curiosity in the management of its uranium reserves by establishing the first Nuclear plant in East Africa 
  •  China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) will be in alliance with the manufacturing of the Nuclear Plant                       
  •  Immediately, after the conclusion of the project, Uganda could become the second or third African country with a Nuclear Plant, as South Africa has an active Nuclear Plant and Egypt has been building one since 2022.

 

 

 

 

”The Nuclear plant under construction has the capacity to generate 1000 megawatts (MW) from its nuclear power by 2030”, this was a statement made by the Ugandan government on Thursday as part of its agenda to see that there is a diversity in electricity resources and there is transition and speed in dispensing its energy as an important  constituent of its climate change response

 

 

 

One of the reports disclosed by Reuters, an American News Agency is that the Ugandan President disclosed that Uganda as a Nation has rich uranium reserves which he plan to take advantage of to be able to fund this Unique and massive project. The president clearly emphasized that for the purpose of prospective Nuclear Energy Development his administration will capitalize on the country Uranium reserves.

 

 

 

As a result of this, Uganda strike a deal with China that demands that the China National Corporation (CNNC) will help its Nation in establishing the potential needed to drives the exploiting of atomic energy.

 

 

 

The primary nuclear Industry, Buyende Nuclear Power Plant, would be constructed roughly 150 kilometers (93 miles) north of Kampala, according to the Minister of Energy and Mines, Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu in a statement.

 

 

 

“Preparation to evaluate the Buyende Nuclear Power Plant site is ongoing to pave the way for the first nuclear power project expected to generate 2,000 MW, with the first 1000 MW to be connected to the national grid by 2031,” Ruth Nankabirwa stated.

 

 

 

“Uganda is making firm steps to integrate nuclear energy into the electricity generation mix to ensure energy security and provide sufficient electricity for industrialization,” she added.

 

 

 

An American news agency “Bloomberg”, reported in October last year, that Uganda is making efforts to meet and identify potential partners for the development of East Africa’s first nuclear plant, and then determined that this unique project is estimated to  cost $9 billion.

 

 

 

 

Presently, the only Africa country that has an active nuclear plant is South Africa, while Russia’s state-owned energy business Rosatom commenced the construction of Egypt’s first nuclear facility last year.

 

 

 

Uganda has been reported to have just 1,500 MW of installed generating facility, but it is expected that the country energy demand will increase in the coming year as oil export revenues should boom the economy.

 

 

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2030 WORLD CUP: MOROCCO TO REPLACE UKRAINE IN SPAIN-PORTUGAL BID

  • Morocco to replace Ukraine and join Spain and Portugal to host the World Cup in 2030.
  • This is due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
  • The proximity between Spain and Morocco makes the partnership more practical.

Last October, a Spain, Portugal, and Ukraine joint bid was backed up by UEFA, European football’s governing body to host the 2030 World Cup, which was seven months after the Russia-Ukraine war. 

 

The Russia-Ukraine war is still ongoing with a new phase of missile attacks this week and the likelihood of Ukraine recovering to host World cup group stage matches by 2030 is increasingly slim.

 

However, there is a new development for Morocco to replace Ukraine and join Spain and Portugal to host the World Cup by 2030. The initial bid was authorized by Ukraine’s President and the Portuguese Football Association (PFA) which was aimed at capitalizing on the power of football to the recovery of a country undergoing reconstruction.

 

After five previous unsuccessful attempts to host the competition in 1994, 1998, 2006, 2010, and 2026, Morocco also declared it would bid for the 2030 FIFA World Cup in July 2018. This is the sixth time the north African country will bid to host the games and if successful, Morocco will be the first north African country to host the World Cup tournament.

 

Moreso another reason that makes the partnership more practical is the proximity between Spain and Morocco as both countries are only eight miles apart, and between Ukraine and Spain, there are 1,000 miles while Portugal is even farther. 

 

With the Moroccan Football Association as a member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), a joint European-African bid is seen as a potential vote winner.

 

The Portugal-Spain-Morocco joint bid is likely to face competition from two more joint bids from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Greece, and a joint South American bid including Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile.

 

At the 74th FIFA Congress, the selection of countries to host the 2030 World Cup will be announced in 2024.

 

The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams instead of 32 and will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The 2030 FIFA World Cup will be the second edition to feature 48 teams.

 

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ANGOLA TO HOST 2023 AFRICAN BASKETBALL COMPETITION

  • FIBA Africa confirmed Angola as the host for the FIBA AfroCan.
  • The tournament will take place from July 8 to 16.

On Monday, FIBA Africa announced that Angola would host the upcoming 2023 FIBA AfroCan which will take place from July 8 to 16.

 

FIBA Africa confirmed this during an official ceremony held on Monday, 27th February 2023.

 

Based on the agreement, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Angolan Basketball Federation (FAB) President Moniz Silva and FIBA Africa Presiden Anibal Manave at Luanda, the host country’s capital.

 

This makes Angola the second country to organize the competition after Mali which hosted the first edition of the FIBA AfroCan in 2019.

 

The 12-nation, four-year FIBA AfroCan continental tournament is geared toward players from the host countries.

 

Angola’s experience and capacity as a host nation were lauded by FIBA Africa President Anibal Manave, who also urged the Southern African nation to exert all reasonable efforts to ensure the success of the 2023 FIBA AfroCan.

 

According to Manave, AfroCan, “is a huge part of our strategy”, as it enables national federations to get organized and gives young basketball players the opportunity to play at the highest level at some time in their careers.

 

José Moniz, the Angolan Basketball Association (FAB) president, appreciated FIBA Africa for choosing his nation to host the competition.

 

So far, teams from the defending champions DR Congo, Kenya, Angola, and Morocco have qualified for this year’s FIBA AfroCan.

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THE SUNDOWNS RANK BEST IN AFRICA.

  • About Mamelodi Sundown Club
  • Mamelodi Sundown Club achievements
  • Mamelodi Sundown club ranks as the best club in Africa.

Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club, simply known as Sundowns is a South African professional football club based in Mamelodi, Pretoria in the Gauteng province that plays in the Premier Soccer League, the first tier of the South African football league system. It was founded in the 1970s.

They have won the Premier League title 12 times since its inception in 1996. They also hold a joint record of three National Soccer League Championships and have won 15 league titles in total.

Sundowns won the 2016 CAF championships and the 2017 CAF Super Cup and were voted the 2016 CAF club of the year. Locally, they have won the Nedbank Cup six times, the MTN 8 four times and the Telkom knockout four times. They are also the first South African team to compete in the FIFA Club World Cup, where they finished 6th place. In 2021, Sundowns became Africa’s first club to win Caf Champions League and CAF Women’s Champions League titles.

This club is owned by a South African business magnate Patrice Motsepe and it is one of the most valuable clubs in Africa by club value.

Mamelodi Sundowns are currently ranked as the best football club in Africa by Football Database dot com. Following closely is the Al Ahly club of Egypt.

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NIGERIAN FOOTBALLER BREAKING RECORDS.

Victor James Osimhen, a Nigerian professional footballer has recently been making a lot of waves in his football career. He was recently named the Serie A player of the month for January 2023.

He is regarded as one of the best strikers in the world. He won the Golden Boot award after scoring ten goals in seven games at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup which Nigeria won. He is currently the 9th all-time goal scorer of the Nigeria national team.

Victor recently broke the internet with his career chart. He just reached 100 goals in 197 games which is faster than the other players considered the G.O.A.Ts in football. 

This has gotten so many social media users talking and comparing his achievements with that of other players. A Twitter user, @BeksFCB wrote “Victor Osimhen has been better and more consistent than Rashford but English media are saying Rashford is the best player in Europe right now. Is Victor playing in Kenya”

A football page on Twitter, @goal wrote on their Twitter page “Victor Osimhen reached 100 career goals quicker than the GOATs. Another football page @4footballTV also wrote “Victor Osimhen has broken Christiano Ronaldo’s record for the highest jump for a Serie A header goal. monstrous!!!” 

In the same vein, Victor has also been named the World’s Best Striker ahead of Erling Haaland by the UK newspaper, Daily Mail. 

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DEATH OF GHANA’S GREAT FOOTBALLER.

Christian Atsu Twasam was a Ghanaian professional footballer born on the 10th of January 1992. He played primarily as a winger but was often deployed as an attacking midfielder or a left back.

Atsu was born in Ada Foah, Greater Accra Region.[3] He spent some of his education at the then Feyenoord Football Academy at Gomoa Fetteh, in the Central Region of Ghana which has now been changed to West African Football Academy at Sogakope, in the Volta Region of Ghana.

He arrived Porto at the age of 17 and on 14th May 2011, he was called up by the first team manager, Andrè Villas-Boas for a Premier League match against Maritimo, even though he did not leave the bench.

On the 1st of June, 2012, He won his first senior cap for the Ghana National Team. He was described by BBC as an excellent prospect. ESPN also corroborated that statement saying he was quick and technically impressive, they also said he was a potential future star for his national team. In 2013, he was in the Ghanaian squad for the Africa Cup of Nations held in South Africa. He was also selected for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

He was named in the Team of the Tournament for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon, where Ghana came fourth. He was called up for the 2019 edition in Egypt.

Apart from being a very good footballer, Atsu was a philanthropist, he gave so much to people who were struggling. Christian Atsu paid the fines of 53 poor people, who were in prison for petty crimes in Ghana in 2018. He also gave them money to start a business. He upgraded the football pitch in Awutu Prison Camp. He donated to schools and hundreds of items to an orphanage in Senya Berekum.

Unfortunately, the earthquake of Turkey claimed his life. He went missing on the 6th of February and it was feared that he was among those trapped. On the 18th of February his body was recovered.

His death was felt by everyone as he has impacted all the lives he has come across.

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KENYAN ATHLETE WINS BIG, SETS NEW NATIONAL RECORD AT LIEVIN

Kenyan athlete, Ferdinand Omanyala beats his own record at the Lievin World Indoor Tour tournament in France in a new national and African 60m record finishing with 6.54secs.

 

In the 100m final, Omanyala edged out Olympic champion Marcell Lamont Jacobs who came in second place finishing with 6.57 seconds and Ivorian Arthur Cisse completed the podium end with a time of 6.59 seconds.

 

At the beginning of the race, Omanyala started off slow but finally gained full acceleration once he got off the blocks, shattering his own record for the second time in a week.

 

He had run a national record of 6.55 in Mondeville which was his third stop of the indoor season.

 

His 6.58 seconds record-breaking time was the third victory for the Kenyan athlete in his tour of France having lost only in his first race to Cisse in Miramas.

 

Omanyala took to his Twitter handle to announce his win saying “big win, national record and personal best. 6.54!!! God did it”. He also posted pictures of his time in the finals and his name topping the list.

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FOOTBALL KENYA FEDERATION RECEIVES GRANT FROM FIFA.

Member Associations like Football Kenya Federation are expected to receive approximately USD8 million from FIFA for football development and operational support.

 

 

This action followed after the 2022 FIFA Annual Report was approved. It was highlighted that the world football governing body made a record-breaking revenue of USD 7.6 billion during the 2019-2022 cycle and expects to make USD 11 billion during the 2023-2026 period.

 

 

 

 

This grant to member associations signifies a 29 percent increase from the previous cycle. FIFA President Gianni Infantino said “Fifa’s unprecedented investment in football is the result of our solid financial transparency and stands as a concrete example of how we are aiming to make football truly global. The launch of Fifa Forward 3.0 means that we can do so by providing support for development projects, hand-in-hand with the six Confederations and the 211 Fifa Member Associations. Over this four-year cycle, there will be an increase in investment in Forward of 29 percent compared to the previous period, and that means that solidarity payments have now increased by a factor of seven in the space of just seven years”.

 

 

Fifa secretary general Fatma Samoura also commended the inaugural Africa Schools champion cup that was held in Congo in 2022. She said, “It was my pleasure to be at Kinshasa’s Stade des Martyrs in February to witness the inaugural staging of the Africa Schools Champions Cup, organized by Fifa with support from CAF and the African Union. For many of the players, their journey was the first outside their own country, an occasion on which to learn and make new friends through the beautiful game. Our belief in football’s place at the heart of education is unwavering.”

 

 

In the same vein, The Fifa council confirmed the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup in the summer of 2025 will feature four African clubs, four from Asia, four from the Concacaf region, six from South America, one from Oceania, 12 from Europe, and one as a tournament host.

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FOOTBALL: EGYPTIAN CLUB EMERGES FOURTH, REWARDED CASH.

Al Ahly is a Sporting Club commonly referred to as Ahly. it is an Egyptian professional football club based in Cairo and plays in the Egyptian Premier League.

The club was founded on the 24th of April, 1907. It has a record of 42 Egyptian Premier League titles, 37 Egypt Cup titles, and 12 Egyptian Super Cups.

Internationally, the club has also won a record 10 CAF Champions League titles, 1 CAF Confederation Cup, a record of 8 CAF Super Cups, a record of 4 African Cup Winners’ Cups, 1 Afro-Asian Club Championship, an Arab Club Champions Cup, an Arab Cup Winners’ Cup, a record of 2 Arab Super Cups, and has won 3 bronze medals in the FIFA Club World Cup. 

Al Ahly is considered the most successful football club in African history and was voted by CAF as the African club of the 20th century.

They participated in the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco of which they emerged fourth. They will be rewarded with a cash price of $2 million dollars for finishing fourth.

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FOOTBALL: NIGERIAN PLAYER NAMED PLAYER OF THE MONTH.

Victor James Osimhen is a Nigerian professional footballer, born on the 29th of December, 1998. He plays as a striker for Serie A club Napoli and the Nigeria national team. 

Osimhen started his career at the Ultimate Strikers Academy, based in Lagos, Nigeria. In January 2016, after being noticed for his performances at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, Osimhen committed to a pre-contract with VfL Wolfsburg, stipulating that he would officially join the club in January 2017.

Victor began his senior career in Germany at VfL Wolfsburg in 2017. He made his senior debut in June 2017 and played at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. Following a season and a half at the club, he moved to Belgian side Charleroi on loan in 2018-2019, before moving to France at Lille. He then transferred to Serie A club Napoli for a club-record fee of 70 million Euros.

He won the Golden Boot award after scoring ten goals in seven games at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup which Nigeria won. He is currently the 9th all-time goal scorer of the Nigeria national team.

Victor Osimhen has been named the Serie A Player of the Month for January 2023 and is considered one of the best strikers in Serie A and in the world

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NIGERIA, FIRST TO COMPETE IN INVICTUS GAMES

The Invictus Games for military personnel wounded in service and established by Prince Harry of Britain has recently announced that Nigeria will compete in the biennial Paralympic-style games.

 

The tournament, which will take place in the city of Dusseldorf, Germany, is expected to have more than 500 competitors for the sixth edition of the week-long sporting event.

 

The Nigeria team will compete with 21 other nations in rounds of adaptive sports, making the West African country to be the first African country to participate in the games, as it was drafted into the Invictus Community of Nations in 2022.

 

Nigeria will make its first debut in this year’s sporting competition alongside Colombia and Israel.

 

Speaking to CNN, Corporal Effiom Antigha, Captain of the Nigerian Team said he was elated to compete in the games in September 2023, he said: “I feel delighted. Before now I did not think I could engage myself in any of these sporting activities”.

 

The 30-year-old Captain who had been fighting depression after he got injured said “the Invictus Foundation has helped develop me physically and mentally”.

 

Founded out of inspiration from a visit to the Warrior Games in the United States by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, the Invictus Games is an international multi-sport event which began in 2014 for wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women in military service and veterans.

 

In a press statement, Dominic Reid OBE, Chief Executive of the Foundation said he was thrilled that Nigeria has enlisted to participate in the games.

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MOROCCO BREAKS FIFA RECORD.

Morocco is a culture-rich place and they were proud to showcase their heritage at the FIFA opening ceremony.

This year’s FIFA Club World Cup opening ceremony started with a display of these cultures. There were multiple performances reflecting the cultural heritage.

It begun with a short scene, narrating the story of Moroccan explorer, Ibn Battuta. His life passion reflects Morocco’s long-standing openness to the world.

There were a few traditional performances that showcased the country’s diverse cultural mix. It featured iconic Amazigh music, Jebala music. Aissaoua, and Sahrawi music on a list of 12 performances each reflecting the culture of Morocco’s 12 provinces.

At the second phase of the show, Moroccan rapper Dzdross took the stage to deliver his famous “L’kora 7na Maliha” a song that celebrates Morocco’s historic World Cup run in Qatar.

The third part of the ceremony had Morocco’s national football team Walid Regragui, delivering a short speech paying tribute to the departed football legend Pele, and recalled Morocco’s historic performance in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The opening ceremony took place in the Ibn Battuta Stadium in Tangier and was followed by the first game in the tournament at 8 p.m Morocco time.

This FIFA World Cup opening ceremony broke the record for the Most Attended Opening ceremony in the tournament’s history. 47,137 were in attendance, breaking the former record of 35,247 attendees in 2014.

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NIGERIAN BILLIONAIRE MOVES TO BUY SHEFFIELD UNITED.

Billionaire tech entrepreneur, Dozy Mmobousi is making moves to buy English football club, Sheffield United, thereby relieving them of their financial crisis.

 

Sheffield United was hit by a transfer embargo amid financial difficulties. The embargo means that they will not be able to buy any players for the next 18 months and this has put them in a tight spot.

 

Dozy Mmobousi is the owner of Tingo, a company valued at around £7 billion. He is a 43-year-old Nigerian businessman born in Lagos. He completed his advanced management and leadership program at Said Business School, University of Oxford. His company is an Agri-Fintech company that helps farmers mainly in Africa and also around the world to manage their sales using smartphones. It was established in 2001. He is also a consultant to other big companies.

 

Sheffield United hopes to get promotion back to the Premier League but due to their current financial situation, a lot of odds are against them. Dozy Mmobuosi’s takeover of the club means that Sheffield will be able to pay off some of their debts and subsequently be able to gain promotion back to the Premier League. They will also not have to sell off their good players.

 

Currently, Dozy’s proposal is undergoing EFL Owners’ and Directors’ tests. This will determine whether he is eligible to purchase the club.

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SOUTH AFRICA PREPARES TO INK A $52M SPONSORSHIP DEAL

According to an official document released by the Daily Maverick news site, the South African government is taking into consideration a sponsorship deal worth $52 million with Premier League side Tottenham Hotspurs.

 

The statement reports that the contract is geared toward the promotion of South Africa as a travel destination although the country is considering financing a wealthy football club.

 

It added that the details of the three-year deal are on the brink of being finalized through the marketing branch of South Africa tourism. 

 

The report also read that the South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa will make an announcement for the deal on 10th February during his state of the Nation Address, although there are no remarks from the president or the minister of tourism yet. 

 

Tottenham Hotspur is an English premier league professional football club located in London, England. It is one of the top flight teams of English football. 

 

The Rwandan government has also had a funding deal worth more than $42 million that involved a “Visit Rwanda” logo exhibited on Arsenal short sleeves. 

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FNB STADIUM RANKS TOP 15 IN MOST BEAUTIFUL STADIUM.

A research was conducted by a British sports betting platform. It was a wide-ranging analysis done through fans from across the globe as well as analyzing Instagram hashtags.

 

According to their findings, FNB Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa ranked 13th in the most beautiful stadium list. 

 

The First National Bank Stadium is also known as Soccer City or The Calabash. It is an association football and Rugby Union stadium located in Nasrec, bordering the Soweto area of Johannesburg, South Africa. It is the home of Kaizer Chiefs F.C. in the South African Premier Soccer League as well as key fixtures for the South African national football team. The FNB Stadium is the largest stadium in Africa with a 94,736 capacity.

 

It was built in 1987 and opened up to the public in 1989. The location in which it was built is quite symbolic as that was the place Nelson Mandela gave his first speech in Johannesburg after his release in 1990, it also served as the menu for a memorial service to him on the 10th of December, 2010.  It was also the venue for the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final, which was played by the Netherlands and Spain. The World Cup closing ceremony on the day of the final saw the final public appearance of Mandela.

 

The outside is designed to have the appearance of an African pot, the cladding on the outside of the stadium is a mosaic of fire and earthen colors, with a ring of light running around the bottom of the pot, simulating fire underneath the pot and there are no restricted views in the stadium.

 

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COPA AMERICA TO INVITE MOROCCO NATIONAL TEAM.

Copa America seeks to invite The Morocco National football team.  According to Brazilian sources, Copa America wants to invite Morocco to participate in the 2024 edition of the tournament as a guest of honor. 

 

Copa America was known until 1975 as the South American Football Championship. It is the top men’s football tournament contested among national teams from South America. It is the third most-watched continental football in the world. 

 

Since the 1990s, North American and Asian teams have also been invited to compete. The tournament has generally featured 12 teams; all 10 South American teams and two additional teams from other confederations.

 

Owing to its somewhat limited number of registered national football federations, countries from other continents are usually invited to participate to make up the 12 teams necessary for the current tournament format.

 

The Morocco National football team, nicknamed the Atlas Lions represent Morocco in men’s international football competitions. The team is a member of FIFA and the Confederation of African Football. Internationally, they have won one African  Cup of Nations, two African Nations Championships, and a FIFA Arab Cup.

 

They have participated in the FIFA World Cup six times and made history in 1986 when they were the first African national team to finish top of a group at the World Cup and first to reach the knockout stages.

 

In the 2022 World Cup, they defied all expectations and topped their group. They then became the first African nation to ever reach the semi-finals. They were placed fourth in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. as of December 2022, they were ranked as the 11th-best national team in the world.

 

 

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LYLE FOSTER IS SET TO BECOME SOUTH AFRICA’S MOST EXPENSIVE PLAYER.

Lyle Brent Foster is a South African professional footballer born on the 3rd of September 2000. He plays as a forward for EFL Championship club Burnley and the South Africa national team.

Brent was named among the English newspaper The Guardian’s top 60 most promising young players in the world. He signed a deal with Monaco in January, 2019 which lasts till June 2023, where he will begin on the reserve team.

On the 30th of August 2019, Brent joined Monaco’s farm-club Cercle Brugge in Belgium on a season-long loan. On August 2020, he became a new player for Vitória de Guimarães. In 2021, he joined Westerlo on a season-long loan.

In 2022, he moved to Westerlo on a permanent basis and signed a four-year contract with the club

Burnley have agreed to a 6.2 million euros deal for his switch from Belgian club, KVC Westerlo. The transfer will increase to 8.8 euros if they gain promotion to the Premier League.

 

This sets Lyle Brent Foster on the path of becoming South Africa’s most expensive player.

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9-YEAR OLD CAMEROONIAN, FLEUR RANDA, SEEN COVERING A SPORTS EVENT.

Pictures of a 9 year old Cameroonian sports photographer hit the internet and immediately became viral.

Fleur Randa could be the youngest sports photographer in Africa or even in the world. Photos of her covering the Cameroon national team training was what hit the internet.

Fleur Randa drew her inspiration from her father, Kendji Nick Lionel who is also a professional. In the photos she follows her father around as they travel around with the Indomitable Lions while taking quality photos.

Her passion came from closely watching her father and following him to numerous sports events and learning from him before perfecting the art.

Among the photos that hit the internet was one where she was sharing her work with the Cameroon players, led by Inter Milan-bound goalkeeper Andre Onana. This picture excited fans online as the Indomitable lions seemed fascinated by her work.

This 9 year old is definitely going places.

 

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FIFA PRESIDENT, GIANNI INFANTINO GRACE THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE AFRICAN NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIPS

The President of FIFA, Gianni Infantino graced the seventh edition of the African Nations Championships (CHAN) which began with a spectacular opening ceremony and a victory for the hosts at the recently inaugurated Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers, Algeria. He was also present at the stadium’s official inauguration ceremony, which has 40,000 seaters and is located on the south side of the Algerian capital. 

 

The other dignitaries attended the ceremony, Prime Minister of Algeria H.E. Aimene Benabderrahmane, President of Confederation of African Football (CAF) Patrice Motsepe, President of the Algerian Football Association (FAF) Djahid Zefizef and the grandson of the first President of South Africa Mandla Mandela.

 

The President of the Algerian Football Association welcomed Africa to the beautiful nation, “Algeria welcomes all of Africa”, while giving his speech during the opening ceremony.

 

Gianni said “it is a great privilege to be present here tonight for this historic moment in Algerian, and African football history”.

 

He went ahead to congratulate Algeria, as he said “I congratulate our host Algeria for organizing this African Nations Championship and look forward to the three weeks of wonderful football ahead”.

 

The opening ceremony began with “Viva l’Algerie” a song by Dounia and Mahfoud, musical artists in the North African country. It also featured a series of cultural displays showcasing the history and traditions of Algeria.

 

With joy and excitement, fans of Khaled’s famous hit ‘Didi’, a popular rai in the world, and ‘Dana Dana’ by Cheb Rayan sang along in unison while the songs were being performed.  The host nation played its first match against Libya and finished with a 1-0 victory. 

 

The competition is mainly for domestic-based players and takes place across four Algerian cities, including Algiers, Annaba, Constantine, and Oran.

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MOROCCAN FOOTBALLER HONORED FOR HIS WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE AT THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP.

Achraf Hakimi is a professional football player that was born on the 4th of November, 1998 to Moroccan parents. He mainly plays as a right back for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Morocco national team. He is also regarded as one of the best right-backs in world football and is known for his speed, runs and goal scoring ability.

 

He represented Morocco at various youth levels before making his international debut when he was 17 in 2016. He was previously capped by the nations’ youth teams at under-20. In May 2018, he was chosen in Morocco’s squads for the FIFA World Cup in 2018 and 2022 and also the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019 and 2021 in cameroon.

 

Hakimi made his debut for the under-23s on the 5th of June, 2016, coming on as a substitute in a 4-0 win against Canada. He scored his first international goal on the 1st of September, 2017 in a 6-0 home routing of Mali.

 

He started all of his matches in the group stages. He scored a free kick in a 2-2 tie against Gabon. He also scored a free kick against Malawi in the 70th minute gaining his team victory.

 

On the 10th of November, 2022 he was named in Morocco’s 26-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World cup in Qatar. He was the one that scored the winning goal in a penalty shoot-out against Spain in the round of 16 which secured a place for his country in the quarter-finals.

 

He has been profiled as a quick, dynamic and powerful right-sided attacking full-back or wing-back, who is tactically and technically adept and capable of playing long accurate passes from defense.

 

Recently, a stadium was named after him in his mother’s hometown, Ksar EL-Kebir in Morocco. This action was to honor him for his wonderful performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. It was named The Achraf Hakimi Stadium. 

 

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LEGENDS GRACE CHAN OPENING CEREMONY IN ALGERIA.

The opening ceremony for the African’s Nations Championship was hosted yesterday, the 13th of January, 2023.

Super Eagles midfield maestro and former African legend, Austine Jay Jay Okocha was invited for the ceremony. He featured in five African Cup of Nations and was also part of the victorious 1994 set in Tunisia.

Other legends like Rabat Madjer who represented Algeria for 19 years and participated in two World Cups in 1983 and 1986 as well as the AFCON in 1990 guided the legends and welcomed them to his country.

A two time African champion and head of Cameroon Football Federation, Samuel Eto’o was part of this legendary group.

The opening ceremony was epic and the audience were served with cultural displays. They were taken on a tour through the cultures of Algeria.

Other legends like Didier Drogba, Asamoah Guan and Yaya Toure also graced the event.

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EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR GOES ROUND TOGO TO SUPPORT STUDENTS, YOUNG FOOTBALLERS AND AMATEUR TOURNAMENTS.

Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor is a Togolese football player who plays as a striker for the Togolese Championant National club Semassi. Prior to this, he has played for clubs like arsenal, Manchester city, Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace as well as some other teams.

 

In 2008, he was voted African footballer of the year, he later on became the most iconic signing in Paraguayan football. In 2020, he was the highest paid player in the country’s history. In the country’s debut in the FIFA World cup in Germany in 2006, Emmanuel represented his country; it was also the country’s only appearance till date. He is also the country’s all-time top goal scorer with 32 goals

 

Even though originally Nigerian, born to parents of Yoruba origin, Adebayor chose to represent the country of his birth. He was a pundit for the BBC sports 2020 FIFA World cup coverage. In 2007, he was BBC footballer of the year. He also scored the BBC goal of the season in 2007/2008.

 

Emmanuel Adebayor owns a foundation called the Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor Foundation (SEA). This foundation takes care of hundreds of children.

 

Adebayor has been traveling around his country, Togo to support students, young footballers and amateur football tournaments. Helping people with talent achieve their goals

 

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FORMER MOROCCAN INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALLER TURNS THIRTY-NINE TODAY.

Marouane Chamakh is a former Moroccan footballer that was born and raised in France. He was born on the 10th of January, 1984. 

 

He started his football career at the age of four playing for local club, Nerac FC in the nearby commune of Nerac. After six years at Nerac, he joined FC Marmandais. He developed his physical skill and traits while in Marmande and earned his first regional selection to play for Aquitaine regional team in the Coupe Nationale. 

 

He plays internationally for Morocco. He made his national team debut in July 2003 and played in three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, including the 2004 tournament in which Morocco finished as runners-up. In August 2010, he captained the national team for the first time in a 2-1 win over Equatorial Guinea. He is a Moroccan international at the senior level. 

 

The Bordeaux’s eleventh highest goal scorer of all time is popularly known for his link up play, tall stature and excellent heading ability

 

Prior to representing Morocco, he played for the under-19 team of France and made his debut on 12th February, 2003 in a friendly match against Czech Republic.

 

Chamakh joined Championship side Cardiff City on a short-term contract in October 2016. He made his debut for the club on the 19th of October as a second half substitute in place of Rickie Lambert during a 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday. He appeared twice under Cardiff, both as a substitute.

 

Marouane Chamakh confirmed his retirement from professional football on 26th May, 2019 after not playing for two and half years. 

 

Marouane Chamakh turns 39 on this day, the 10th of January, 2023.

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SOUTH AFRICAN REFEREE, AKHONA MAKALIMA APPOINTED TO OFFICIATE AT THE 2023 FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP.

Akhoma Makalima is an international female referee that hails from South Africa. She has been listed as an international referee for FIFA since 2014.

 

She is one of the best female referees in Africa. She holds a national diploma in human resource management from King Hintsa FET College.

 

In November 2021, she was the first female referee to officiate the first CAF Women’s Champions League in Cairo, Egypt. Asides her international records, she has also set several records in her own country. She is the first certified female football referee in South Africa, she has officiated for FIFA in the local South African Premier Soccer League and the women’s league as well.

 

She is also a very athletic woman who loves to sprint when officiating. Over the past few years she has proven her professionalism and dedication to the game

 

Owing to her dedication, she has been appointed as one of the referees for the FIFA women’s World Cup which will be taking place from the 20th of July till the 20th of August, 2023. 

 

She said the appointment is one of the greatest achievements in her rising career and she was looking forward to the tournament and to making her country proud. She stated “it is always satisfying when you put all the hard work and you see it paying off. SAFA and most officials have been putting in a lot of hard work to improve the officiating in the country and the number of officials appointed for FIFA and CAF tournaments is a testament to the Association and the official’s hard work. My heart is filled with huge excitement and gratitude. This is what we all strive for as match officials; officiating at the biggest stage and I really want to thank all those involved in this project for a job well done. I am really overwhelmed with emotions, words cannot express my excitement”.

 

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COMMENCEMENT OF THE INSTALLATION OF BUCKET SEATS IN MARTYRS STADIUM,KINSHASA.

Stades Des Martyrs de la Pentecote was opened in 1993 in Kinshasa with 80,000 capacity for international matches and 100,000 capacity for national matches.

It is the second largest stadium in Africa and home stadium of the National team of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the AS Vita Club and DC the Motema Pembe of championship Democratic Republic of the Congo Football.

It recently started undergoing a renovation and the renovation is almost complete. The Democratic Republic of Congo has commenced the installation of bucket seats in the stadium.

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SUPER FALCON STARS, ASISAT OSHOALA RECEIVED SPANISH AWARD AS TOP GOAL SCORER

Nigerian Super Falcons Star, Asisat Oshoala received the Pichichi award for 2021/22 Spain Primera Division Women Top Scorer.

 

The top goal scorer of each Spanish Primera Division Women League Season is awarded Pichichi winners by the sports newspaper, Marca in the Spanish football.

 

In August 2022, Asisat Oshoala, who was a former Rivers Angels forward became the first African woman to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or Feminin.

 

She has been recorded as the sole holder for most awards the CAF Women’s footballer of the year has won, which records five times.

 

More accolades to Asisat Oshoala as she has added another feat to her name, the Pichichi awards, a recognition for her exceptional efforts.

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Ghana Armed Forces Recognizes Mohammed Kudus for His Performance in the 2022 FIFA World Cup

Ghanaian Football Player, Mohammed Kudus outstanding performance during the 2022 FIFA World Cup has brought him recognition and honour by the Ghanaian Armed Forces. 

 

Mohammed featured in the victory over South Korea and showcased his soccer qualities in the match against Uruguay and Portugal. 

 

The 22-year old Kudus was also able to score twice against the Asian area and secured the Black Stars only win in Qatar.

In spite of the Black Stars of Ghana elimination in the group round, Kudus is seen as one of the tournament’s shining stars. This has prompted the Ghana Armed forces to honour the Ghana star boy for his outstanding performance in the Qatar FIFA World Cup.

 

The Ghana Black Star Captain, Andrew Ayew has pointed out in his interview with the BBC that the whole world will know more about the midfielder, Mohammed Kudus for his exceptional skills and display during Monday’s win at the Qatar World Cup over South Korea. 

 

Speaking more about Mohammed Kudus, Andrew Ayew said “We know this, I know this, Ghana knows it now, the world is going to know it, you will see, more is coming from my boy.”

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MOROCCO PLANS TO LAUNCH GRAND STADIUM OF CASABLANCA IN 2025.

Morocco has planned to launch a 93,000 capacity stadium in Casablanca in 2025. The proposed title of this stadium is Grand Stade de Casablanca.

 

Once completed in 2025, it will be used for football matches and will serve as the home of the Moroccan men’s national team, the Atlas Lions.

 

It is the third highest capacity football stadium in Africa; it will replace Stade Mohammed V upon completion. 

 

The initial idea of the stadium was for the world cup in 2010 but Morocco lost their bid to South Africa. It also would have hosted the finals of the 2026 World cup had the three nation bids of Canada, Mexico and the United States not out done theirs.

 

Morocco is now planning to bid to host the World cup in 2030 with Grand Stade de Casablanca as one of its venues.

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THE NELSON MANDELA STADIUM AT ALGERIA HAS BEEN INAUGURATED.

The Nelson Mandela stadium at Algeria was inaugurated today. The Algerian sports minister, Abdel Razzak announced on Tuesday the 20th of December, 2022 that the stadium will be named after Nelson Mandela, a South African anti-apartheid activist.

 

The stadium is a 40,000 capacity stadium in Baraki, Algeria, a suburb of Algiers. It is the first stadium in Algeria where the standard of FIFA would be able to host all the matches organized by FIFA including the world cup.

 

The stadium extends to over a total area of 68 hectares and it includes all infrastructure essential to the organization of international football events. It also includes ancillary spaces which includes 50 accommodation rooms including two suites, a car park with the capacity of 6,000 vehicles on an area of 13 hectares, a heliport for emergencies or the reception of official delegations, a replica field, as well as green spaces.

 

The stadium also has four changing rooms, dressing rooms for the referees, a medical area, a medical analysis laboratory, a hall of honor, a presidential stand, a conference room of 258 seats, a press area, radio and television broadcasting studios, three simultaneous interpretation studios, three 1,000 seat restaurants, fast food areas and some other infrastructures. 

 

This stadium will host the final of the 2022 CHAN and also the opening ceremony of the next African Nations that is scheduled to be held on the 13th of January to the 4th of February,2023.

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