Planet Sport Football Africa

On this week’s show we review the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers, as Ivory Coast miss out on a play-off place, and as South Africa alleged dirty tricks as they lost 1-0 to a soft-looking Ghana penalty. And in the EPL, managers Eddie Howe, Steven Gerrard and Dean Smith kick off with new clubs.

On this week’s show we talk about the Fifa rankings – how they work, and if they are a true reflection. Belgium are currently the number one team in the world, Senegal are top in Africa, while Algeria, who beat Senegal in the 2019 AFCON final, are ranked fourth.We find out more about the Nigerian Michael Emenalo, who is set to become the new director of football at Newcastle United. Emenalo is a former Chelsea technical director.And, it’s only November, and already 5 EPL managers have been sacked!

On this week’s show we take a look at the inaugural edition of the CAF Women’s Champions League, running from the 5th to the 19th of this month. Egypt are hosting, eight teams are taking part, and Nigerian legend Perpetua Okwocha says it’s difficult to predict who might take the trophy. Plus your thoughts on who’s the best African striker ever – is it Didier Drogba or is it Mohamed Salah? And lots on the EPL, as Antonio Conte takes over at Tottenham, and the Manchester derby is on this weekend.

On this week’s show we take a look at the teams that have made it to the group stage of this season’s Caf Champions League, with clubs from Botswana and South Africa there for the first time. Also we speak to Nigeria national team goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, who plays for Kaizer Chiefs in South Africa. He talks about how hard it is for a goalkeeper in Africa to play outside their country.And lots on the EPL, as Manchester United are in a difficult space, and we talk about the Ivorian Maxwel Cornet, who is impressing at Burnley.

On this week’s show we ask whether there should have been more African players nominated for the 2021 Ballon D’Or – with Riyad Mahrez and Mohammed Salah the only Africans nominated, and Edouard Mendy left out. Also we look ahead to the finals of the inaugural edition of the Caf Women’s Champions League, which are just two weeks away. And lots on the EPL and the Uefa Champions League, as Patson Daka became the first Zambian to score in the EPL, and Salah shines again.

On this week’s show we catch up on the Fifa World Cup qualifiers for Africa, with Senegal and Morocco the first teams to make it to the final play-off stage. And we hear from the most expensive African player ever – Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, who moved to Italian Serie A side Napoli from French club Lille last year for $96m.And lots on the EPL as we unpack the takeover of Newcastle United and what it could mean for the club.

On this week’s show get an update on the preparations for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, which Cameroon will be hosting in just three months from now. We have a special report from Yaoundé, as there are still concerns about how ready the stadiums are, and we hear from legends El-Hadji Diouf and Didier Drogba on the preparations. Also we talk about Mohamed Salah’s superb goal for Liverpool against Manchester City, and plans that the English FA has to recruit and fast-track former players to become referees. 

On this week’s show look ahead to the upcoming Fifa World Cup qualifiers for Africa, with Ghana’s Black Stars welcoming back Serbian Milovan Rajevac back as coach. He took them to the 2010 World Cup quarter-finals. Plus: who are Africa’s highest paid national team coaches? And it’s Liverpool v City as we catch up on the latest EPL action.

On this week’s show we look at South Africa’s 4-2 win over Nigeria in the final of the Aisha Buhari women's invitational tournament in Nigeria – are Banyana Banyana set to become Africa’s top women’s team? We hear from Patrice Beaumelle, the Ivory Coast national team coach, who feels that while the team lacks the big names of a few years ago, the Elephants have great talent. Plus Stuart on the EPL, as Chelsea play Man City this weekend. 

On this week’s show we hear from South Sudan, where Fifa Secretary General Fatma Samoura made a recent visit. The president of the South Sudan Football Association is hoping that Africa’s newest country can make progress with football development.Also, former Nigeria international Garba Lawal has spoken out against players of Nigerian descent born in other countries choosing to play for Nigeria as a last resort after failing to earn a place in the countries of their birth. And Stuart on Ronaldo’s return to the EPL, and Chelsea’s promising start.

On this week’s show we look at the opening two rounds of games in the group stage of 2022 World Cup qualifying for Africa, as Egypt fire their coach who was unbeaten in nine games. Also we look at the large numbers of players featuring in the qualifiers who were born in Europe rather than in Africa. Also in women’s football we hear from Fifa secretary-general Fatma Samoura on the Caf Women’s Champions League. Also Stuart assesses a busy transfer window in Europe.

On this week’s show we look at the disappointment and controversy over the release of English Premier League players for this month’s World Cup qualifiers. Last week the EPL released a statement saying that clubs had unanimously decided not to release players, but two clubs have gone on to let players feature for red-listed Argentina, while no African players have been released. We have strong opinions from listeners on this.Also we hear from the Zimbabwean who was tasked with marking Lionel Messi on Messi’s debut in France. And we talk about Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United.

On this week’s show we talk about the football tournament at the Tokyo Paralympics and look at Senegal’s great run at the Fifa Beach Soccer World Cup in Russia. And with the group stage of qualifying for the 2022 Fifa World Cup beginning next Wednesday, many African countries will be without their English Premier League players, as they will not be released for international matches played in red-list countries.Also we speak to Zambia and Brighton midfielder Enock Mwepu, who’s moved from RB Salzburg, on getting the chance to play in Europe.And lots to talk about in the EPL – we ask what impact Romelu Lukaku will make at Chelsea.

On this week’s show we focus on the draw for the 2021 AFCON, starting on 9 January, with holders Algeria and Ivory Coast drawn in the same group, and Nigeria placed alongside Egypt, and Morocco and Ghana together in the same group.And we look at comments made by CAF president Patrice Motsepe at the draw, speaking of a plan to pay some prize money for the winners direct to players, rather than players waiting to get money through their federations – a possible way of solving some of the disputes over payment of winning bonuses that have affected so many teams in African football.And lots of EPL action to talk about, and Stuart highlights the African players there this season.

On this week’s show we look at how the introduction of the CAF Women’s Champions League might boost the game on the continent. With qualifiers taking place around the continent, we hear from Namibian club Tura Magic. Lots on the EPL, with the new season starting this weekend – we ask who might be the champions, and whether we are likely to have a close race. And of course, we talk about Lionel Messi’s big move to PSG. 

On this week’s show we analyse Africa’s football performance at the Tokyo Olympics with Ivory Coast and Egypt reaching the quarter-finals, and we hear from Stuart, on the experience of being at the Olympics in Tokyo. And the French Ligue 1 gets underway this weekend, with many Africans based in France, and we hear from Nigeria winger Moses Simon, who plays for Nantes. Simon has also played in the top leagues in Slovakia, Belgium and Spain.

On this week’s show we look at the football tournaments at the Tokyo Olympics, with Ivory Coast and Egypt through to the men’s quarter-finals. And we hear from Stuart Weir who is in Tokyo. We talk about Serbian coach Milutin “Micho” Sredrovic’s return to coach Uganda for the second time. And we speak to Ramon Azeez, a Nigeria international who plays for Granada in Spain.

On this week’s show we hear from Al Ahly’s South African coach Pitso Mosimane, who has thanked the club for believing in him rather than a European coach, as he won back-to-back Champions League titles with the Egyptian club, saying that Africa has the resources in terms of coaches, and they can do what foreign coaches can do. Also we look at the chances of the African teams in the football competitions at the Tokyo Olympics, and as CAF has given its support to Fifa’s proposal to hold the World Cup every two years, we analyse whether this is a good idea, given that the Africa Cup of Nations is staged every two years. Plus, a look at the trials of five potential new rules that Fifa is carrying out – including two 30-minute halves, with the clock being stopped when the ball goes out of play, and unlimited substitutions.

On this week’s show we look at the latest episode of racism in European football, as three black England players all suffering abuse in the hours after missing penalties against Italy in the Euro 2020 final. And we hear from Nigeria international Joel Obi, with his reflections on racial abuse that he received from a fellow player in Italy. Also, as Simba of Tanzania reported a big loss from playing in the group stage of the Champions League, we ask whether the competition is about making money or the prestige of playing on the continent. And, with the Euro 2020 final decided on penalties, with heartache for the England fans and players, we look at how penalty shootouts became the way of deciding tied finals, and if there is any better alternative.

On this week’s show we look at CAF’s new policy of playing club competition finals over one leg at neutral venues – will it work in Africa? Also, we speak to Nigeria's Tony Nwakaeme, who’s based in Turkey with Trabzonspor, and he tells us how tough it’s been playing in empty stadiums. And another Zambian, Enock Mwepu, moves to the EPL to Brighton, a week after Patson Daka joined Leicester, and we have Stuart on the Euros, ahead of Sunday’s final.