The first leg semi-finals of the 2023/24 CAF Champions League campaign will take place on Saturday, April 20th.
by Football Sierra Leone

Dates confirmed for Inter-club Champions League quarter-finals

The Confederation of African Football, CAF, has confirmed the dates and kick-off times for the quarter-finals of the 2025/26 CAF Inter-club Champions League. These matches will take place across Africa in March.

A key match to watch is between the Egyptian team Al Ahly and the Tunisian team Esperance Sportive de Tunis. The first leg will be in Tunis on 15 March at 21:00 GMT, and the return leg will be in Cairo on 21 March at 19:00 GMT.

South African team Mamelodi Sundowns will play against Mali’s Stade Malien. Their first leg is on 13 March at 18:00 GMT, and the return match will be in Bamako on 22 March at 16:00 GMT.

Defending champions Pyramids FC will face the Moroccan team AS FAR. They will meet on 13 March at 22:00 GMT in Morocco, with the return match in Egypt on 21 March at 16:00 GMT.

Moroccan team RS Berkane will play against Sudan’s Al Hilal starting on 14 March at 22:00 GMT, with the second leg on 22 March at 16:00 GMT.

These quarter-finals highlight both classic rivalries and new matchups with clubs from North, West, and Southern Africa. The draw for these matches was held in Cairo last month.

The matches will be played over two legs, and the winners will advance to the semifinals. The winners of the Al Ahly vs. Esperance match will face the winner of the Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Stade Malien game. On the other hand, the victor of AS FAR and Pyramids FC will face the winner of the RS Berkane vs Al Hilal match.

The semi-finals are set for April, with the first legs between 10 and 12 April and the return legs between 17 and 19 April. The final will take place in May to decide the new continental champion.

With the quarter-final schedule now confirmed, teams will focus on this important stage of the competition, where they will compete for a spot in the semi-finals and the chance for continental success.

TotalEnergies CAF Champions League 2025/26 – Quarter-final fixtures (all times GMT)
First legs

13 March 2026

18:00 — Mamelodi Sundowns vs Stade Malien

13 March 2026

22:00 — AS FAR vs Pyramids FC

14 March 2026

22:00 — RS Berkane vs Al Hilal

15 March 2026

21:00 — Esperance ST vs Al Ahly

Second legs

21 March 2026

16:00 — Pyramids FC vs AS FAR

21 March 2026

19:00 — Al Ahly vs Esperance ST

22 March 2026

16:00 — Al Hilal vs RS Berkane

22 March 2026

16:00 — Stade Malien vs Mamelodi Sundowns
Amir Abdou named new Burkina Faso head coach
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Amir Abdou named new Burkina Faso head coach

Burkina Faso has appointed Amir Abdou as the new head coach of the national football team. The Burkina Faso Football Federation believes this marks a new era of discipline and ambition for the Stallions.

Abdou, 53, takes over from Brama Traore, who was dismissed after the team’s early exit from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The federation chose him for his strong understanding of African football and his success with national teams.

He previously led the Comoros team to the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 2021 and achieved success with Mauritania, including a notable win over Algeria at AFCON 2023. Abdou also won two league titles with FC Nouadhibou and recently worked at Hassania Agadir in Morocco.

Burkina Faso has a strong football history, reaching the AFCON final in 2013 and the semi-finals in 2017 and 2021. However, they have struggled with consistency. Abdou must now enhance a team filled with experienced players and emerging talents.

His first matches are scheduled for March 2026, and the federation has not yet confirmed the opponents. With World Cup qualifying and upcoming tournaments ahead, there is little room for error. Fans expect the Stallions to regain their status as one of Africa’s top teams, and the federation hopes Abdou’s leadership will help them achieve this

Moroccan Hakim Ziyech opens his Wydad Athletic Club
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Moroccan Hakim Ziyech opens his Wydad Athletic Club account

Moroccan international Hakim Ziyech scored his first goal for Wydad AC on Saturday, leading his team to a 1-0 win against RS Berkane at the Mohamed V Stadium in Casablanca.

The former Ajax and Chelsea winger converted a penalty kick in the final moments of the match to keep Wydad’s unbeaten streak in the Botola Pro 1 alive.

Wydad remains unbeaten in the Moroccan league this season, with eight wins and two draws from 10 games. They sit in second place with 26 points, just one point behind Raja Casablanca, coached by South African Fadlu Davids. Wydad has four games in hand because it is participating in the CAF Confederation Cup.

Ziyech joined the club as a free agent in late October and has now scored one goal and provided one assist in five matches across all competitions.

He played a key role in Morocco’s performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where the team became the best-performing African team in history by reaching the semi-finals.

Injuries have been a challenge for the 32-year-old, and he missed Morocco’s home Africa Cup of Nations in December and January.

Ziyech hopes to maintain his good form and secure a place in Morocco’s squad for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

Former Allenskan top striker Mohamed Buya Turay joins Star Sport
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Former Allsvenskan top striker Mohamed Buya Turay joins Star Sport

Former top goal scorer in Sweden, Mohamed Buya Turay, has officially joined Star Sport Academy, bringing with him a wealth of invaluable experience. “We’re thrilled to welcome Mohamed to Star Sport Academy,” said Chairman Ing, Yankuba Jusu Tarawally.

“He’s a dynamic attacking player with remarkable speed and an impressive presence in front of the goal.” As the newest addition to the team, the striker will don the number 95 jersey. Turay, originally from Sierra Leone, began his career with the local club FC Mattia.

He made his professional debut in 2014 when he signed with Juventus IF, a club in Sweden’s Allsvenskan. During his time there, Buya made 25 appearances and found the back of the net 32 times.

Turay quickly advanced up the ranks and played for three different clubs in Sweden’s second-tier league, namely Västerås SK, AFC Eskilstuna, and Dalkurd FF, from 2014 to 2018.

In 2018, he signed with the Belgian Jupiler Pro League club Sint-Truiden, but was loaned out to Djurgarden IF in Sweden’s Allsvenskan in 2019. During his stint at Djurgarden, Turay made 29 appearances and scored 15 goals, which earned him the prestigious Golden Boot award in Allsvenskan.

After his loan at Djurgarden, Turay transitioned to the Chinese Super League, first joining Hebei China Fortune in 2020 and later signing with Henan Songshan Longmen.

Now, the Sierra Leone international is back home and ready to embark on a new adventure with Star Sport Academy.

Now, the Sierra Leone international is back home and ready to embark on a new adventure with Star Sport Academy.
Now, the Sierra Leone international is back home and ready to embark on a new adventure with Star Sport Academy.
CAF lauds Gianni Infantino for his impressive ten years of leadership as FIFA President
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

CAF lauds Gianni Infantino for his impressive ten years of leadership as FIFA President

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has congratulated Gianni Infantino for his ten years as President of FIFA.

CAF believes that this decade of leadership offers a chance to look at its relationship with FIFA during this time.

On Thursday, CAF released a statement titled, “CAF congratulates Gianni Infantino on his outstanding 10-year leadership as FIFA President.”

CAF President Patrice Motsepe said, “CAF congratulates Gianni Infantino for his excellent leadership as FIFA President over the past 10 years and for his significant contribution to the growth and development of football worldwide.”

He also highlighted the broad impact of Infantino’s work, stating, “African football and world football have a loyal partner in Gianni Infantino. CAF wishes him good health and all the best.”

Infantino was re-elected in June 2019 by acclamation for a second term at the Congress of FIFA in Paris. He first took charge of FIFA in February 2016 after Sepp Blatter’s departure and ran unopposed for another four-year term, which will last until 2023.