Category: Sport News

Bulgarian club Botev Plovdiv counts on new acquisition Anthony Ujah
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Bulgaria’s Plovdiv counts on new acquisition Anthony Ujah

Bulgarian club Botev Plovdiv believes their new signing, Anthony Ujah, will bring experience and goals for the 2024 First League season.

The team’s sporting director, Arthur Platek, is confident that Ujah will perform at a high level and provide valuable experience for the team.

Botev (Plovdiv) is excited to welcome Anthony Ujah, a Nigerian striker with experience in the Bundesliga and Second Bundesliga. The team’s sporting director, Artur Platek, is confident that Ujah’s goal-scoring ability and experience will help the team improve. Ujah chose to join Botev Plovdiv instead of renewing his contract with German Bundesliga II team Eintracht Braunschweig.

Platek stated that Ujah, along with Ivelin Popov, will help guide the younger players and share their knowledge of what is needed to succeed in top European championships.

The Nigerian striker is the fourth new addition to the team after Alexa Marash, Alain Koroshets and Hans Christian Bernat .

 

Women's Africa Cup of Nations dates set for July next year
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Women’s Africa Cup of Nations dates set for July next year

The Confederation of African Football has announced that the next Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) will occur in July 2025.

The 21-day event will start on July 5 and end on July 26, 2025. This decision comes after a period of uncertainty following the completion of the qualifiers.

The tournament, originally planned for this year in Morocco, has been postponed to the following year. The decision was made at a meeting of the CAF Executive Committee on June 21, 2024.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe expressed his excitement for the growth of women’s football in Africa and hopes for the success of the WAFCON Morocco 2024. He also promised to continue developing African football to become competitive on a global level.

Additionally, CAF expressed gratitude to King Mohamed VI of Morocco and the Moroccan Football Federation for hosting both the AFCON 2025 and WAFCON 2024.

Ghana’s Black Queens, who missed out in 2018, have secured their spot in the upcoming competition.

Banyana Banyana won the last edition in Morocco with a 2-1 victory over the host country at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat in July 2022. Hildah Magaia was the game’s star, scoring two goals to secure South Africa’s win in the final.

The dates of the CAF TotalEnergies WAFCON Morocco 2024 are:

  • Opening Match: Saturday 5 July 2025
  • Final Match: Saturday 26 July 2025
Banyana Banyana won the last edition in Morocco with a 2-1 victory over the host country. Hildah Magaia was the star of the game, scoring two goals to secure South Africa’s win in the final.
Banyana Banyana won the last edition in Morocco with a 2-1 victory over the host country. Hildah Magaia was the star of the game, scoring two goals to secure South Africa’s win in the final.
CAF confirm dates for next AFCON in Morocco 2025
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

CAF confirm dates for next AFCON in Morocco 2025

The CAF Executive Committee has announced dates for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Morocco.

The Morocco 2025 tournament will start on Sunday, December 21, 2025, and end with the final match on Sunday, January 18, 2026. This event will bring together the best African football talent and will surely excite fans across the continent and beyond.

CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe expressed confidence that the AFCON Morocco 2025 will be a great success and the best in the history of the competition.

The announcement followed discussions with various parties, taking into account international and domestic match schedules.

The CAF boss also noted the significant growth of Women’s football in Africa and the expected success of WAFCON Morocco 2024.

CAF is committed to protecting and advancing the interests of African players and developing African football to be globally competitive.

Motsepe expressed gratitude to King Mohamed VI of Morocco, the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF), its President Fouzi Lekjaa, the Government, and the people of Morocco for hosting the AFCON Morocco 2025.

CAF set to name 2024 African Nations Championship hosts
by FSL News

CAF set to name 2024 African Nations Championship hosts

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Executive Committee is expected to name the host nation for the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) after today’s virtual meeting of the Executive Committee, Africa Soocer reports.

This prestigious tournament provides a platform for showcasing the talents of home-based players across the continent.

The highly anticipated announcement is scheduled for Friday, June 21, 2024, following the Executive Committee’s virtual meeting, where various important matters will be deliberated.

The CHAN tournament is pivotal in CAF’s development strategy by promoting competitiveness and growth among member associations.

The selected host nation will bear the responsibility of ensuring a successful tournament. CAF’s decision will be based on various factors, including infrastructure, logistics, and commercial viability.

Expectations are high for this announcement, as the CHAN tournament has garnered increased popularity and reputation, providing a noteworthy platform for African football to shine.

CAF’s unwavering commitment to delivering a world-class event will further solidify the 2024 CHAN tournament as a resounding success, securing its place in the African football calendar.

It’s worth noting that Kenya was initially slated to host the 2024 CHAN tournament.

Sierra Leone up four places in latest FIFA World rankings
by FSL News

Sierra Leone up four places in latest FIFA World ranking

Sierra Leone rose to 122nd from 126th in the latest FIFA men’s world rankings after securing four points in World Cup qualifiers in June.

A slow improvement also saw them move from 35th in Africa to 34th place.

Neighbours Liberia has made the biggest climb in the latest FIFA Rankings, jumping 10 spots from 152 to 142.

After a 2-1 win over Djibouti and a 2-2 draw against Burkina Faso in June’s 2026 World Cup qualifying matches, the team moved up to 122nd, just behind Camoross, Togo and Sudan, respectively.

During the June international break, Coach Amidu Karim’s team secured a win and a draw in their last two qualifying games.

Sierra Leone achieved their best-ever ranking in August 2014 when they gained 14 places, entering the top 50 for the first time in their history.

At the time, the Leone Stars ranked 50th globally and was in the continent’s top seven places in 2014. 

Meanwhile, In Africa, Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Tunisia, Algeria, Cameroon, Mali and South Africa make the top ten. 

In the global rankings, the top three remain the same, with Argentina (1st), France (2nd), and Belgium (3rd) maintaining their positions.

However, the rankings behind them have shifted, as Brazil (4th, up 1) and England (5th, down 1) swapped places.

Portugal (6th), the Netherlands (7th), and Spain (8th) retained their spots in the top ten, while Croatia (9th, up 1) surpassed Italy (10th, down 1), who still hold onto a place among the leading teams.

For the full FIFA Men’s Rankings click here.