South Africa sack Ntseki after AFCON qualification failure
April 1 – South Africa have sacked their coach Molefi Ntseki after Bafana Bafana failed to qualify for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
Africa
Covid cheating? Benin stay on the bus refusing to accept validity of positive tests in Sierra Leone
March 31 – African football has been hit by yet another Covid-related controversy after Benin refused to play a decisive African Cup of Nations qualifying game in Sierra Leone after disputing that five of its players had tested positive just before kick-off.
Omari calls it a day and says he will not run for Congolese FA presidency
March 30 – Constant Omari is slowly exiting football through the back door. The often controversial but influential official has said he will not stand in the upcoming elections of the Congolese Association Football Federation (FECOFA).
South Africa crash out of AFCON 2021 qualification with loss in Sudan
March 29 – South Africa have failed to qualify for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations after suffering a 2-0 defeat in their final group C game against Sudan in Karthoum.
Comoros and Gambia wins earn them debuts at AFCON finals in Cameroon 2022
March 26 – Comoros and the Gambia will debut at next year’s Africa Cup of Nations following stellar campaigns in their qualifying groups.
Cameroon say there was no email error, Choupo-Moting ignored call-up
March 25 – Cameroon have vehemently denied they were responsible for an email blunder which forced their captain, Bayern Munich’s Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, to miss out on selection for the national team against Cape Verde and Rwanda in Group F of African Nations Cup qualifiers.
African contenders vie for final AFCON 2022 slots
March 24 – African teams enter the final stretch of qualifying today (Wednesday) for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, with 19 spots still up for grabs. Some matches will be played with fans in the stands.
Covid test tampering: Calls for Simba SC exclusion from CAF Champions League
By Paul Nicholson
March 23 – Allegations of covid test tampering have hit the CAF Champions League group stages, with clubs whose players have tested negative before leaving their country, being told they have tested positive following a second test in the host country.
Email blunder leaves Cameroon striker Choupo-Moting benched in Munich
March 23 – In what is being described as one of the most bizarre administrative gaffes, Bayern Munich’s Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has been ruled out of captaining his native Cameroon this month against Cape Verde and Rwanda in Group F of African Nations Cup qualifiers after his federation accidentally emailed themselves instead of his club.
Senegal protest at squad being halved for AFCON qualifiers by French block on players
By Samindra Kunti
March 19 – The Senegal FA (FSF) has written a letter of protest to their French counterpart (FFF), objecting to French league’s decision to block players from playing in the final round of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
More Sudan complaints suggest long term FIFA cover-up of a committed supporter
By Paul Nicholson
March 19 – Details have surfaced of yet another complaint by a member of the Sudan FA – this one made in November 2019 – and sent to FIFA protesting ethics violations by SFA president, Dr. Kamal Shaddad, who last month was blessed by a visit from FIFA president Gianni Infantino prior to the CAF electoral congress and the installation of Patrice Motsepe as CAF president.
LFP snubs CAF saying no French clubs will release players for AFCON qualifiers
March 18 – In a major snub to upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, no French clubs will release their non-European players during the international break, the French Professional League (LFP) announced on Wednesday.
Second Sudan ethics complaint emerges, made 3 months prior to Infantino’s pre-CAF Congress visit
By Paul Nicholson
March 17 – More details are emerging of alleged financial corruption at the Sudan FA by president Dr. Kamal Shadad (pictured), as well as evidence of a complaint made to FIFA’s Ethics department back in October 2020, three months before FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited the country and reportedly instructed Shadad to support new CAF president Patrice Motsepe ahead of the African confederation’s electoral congress.
Motsepe backs Veron to hit the ground running at CAF and tells TV it is time to pay Africans
By Samindra Kunti
March 16 – New CAF president Patrice Motsepe has said he needs new secretary-general Veron Mosengo-Omba in his team “to hit the ground running”, even if the South African offered little detail on how he will tackle some of CAF’s pressing, existential problems.
Africa’s new regime of Motsepe-CAF-FIFA immediately tested with Sudan ethics complaint
By Paul Nicholson
March 16 – Just four days after Patrice Motsepe took the leadership of CAF and two days after FIFA’s Veron Mosengo-Omba was shifted from Zurich to CAF as its General Secretary, their first ethical challenge concerning an African member association has arisen.