Senegalese on the defensive over age-cheating suspicions
October 18 – Senegal has denied reports of age-cheating after announcing their 21-man squad for the Under-17 World Cup in Brazil later this month.
Africa
Tensions flare in Senegal over appearance money for Brazil match
By David Owen
October 17 – Tensions are reported between Senegalese players and the national federation over appearance money and travel conditions for the recent friendly against Brazil. According to France Football, citing in turn Senegalese media, the players turned down an appearance payment of €1,000, compared with the usual €1,150.
AFCON 2021 group qualifiers set after wins for Gambia, Chad, South Sudan and Sao Tome
October 14 – Gambia, Chad, South Sudan and Sao Tome (pictured) have advanced in qualifying for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
Uganda’s Magogo suspended over 2014 World Cup ticket resale scandal
October 11 – FIFA have suspended Uganda FA president Moses Magogo from all football-related activity for two months for his role in the resale of World Cup tickets. The football official has also been slapped with a $10,000 fine.
Security issues force Sierra Leone World Cup qualifier behind closed doors
October 10 – Sierra Leone have been ordered to play their next official match behind closed doors following “a number of incidents” linked to the recent World Cup qualifier against Liberia.
FIFA keep control of Ghana in run-up to election of Nyantakyi replacement
October 8 – FIFA has extended the term of the Normalisation Committee that oversees Ghanaian football.
Another day another FIFA $ thief. Equatorial Guinea’s Edjang banned
October 4 – FIFA’s drip-drip series of sanctions of former senior officials has snared another scalp with ex-Equatorial Guinea FA president Domingo Mituy Edjang banned for four years for having “misappropriated FIFA funds”.
Sierra Leone’s Bangura considering international future after fans vandalise his home
October 2 – Sierra Leone captain Umaru Bangura says he is considering his international future after angry supporters vandalised his house in retaliation for him missing a decisive stoppage-time penalty in a World Cup qualifier against Liberia last month.
CAF releases Esperance’s $2.5m prize money for Champions League win
October 1 – African Champions League winners Esperance have today received their $2.5 million prize money from the Confederation of African Football.
Lagardere’s CAF contract under threat as FIFA-led admin makes new commercial play
Exclusive by Osasu Obayiuwana
September 30 – The 12-year billion-dollar contract between Lagardere Sport (LS) and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is at risk of being a casualty of the ongoing CAF governance reforms being spearheaded by FIFA.
More CAF chaos as Zamalek switch CL match venue and date at 24 hours notice
September 30 – The increasingly dysfunctional Confederation of African Football (CAF) is embroiled in yet another embarrassing soap opera after a Champions League match between Senegalese club Generation Foot and Egyptian giants Zamalak at the weekend never took place when the location and venue were shifted at the last moment.
Pinnick investigation: Questions raised over integrity of Nigerian probe
By Paul Nicholson
September 19 – Doubts have been raised over the integrity of the Nigerian government investigation into Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick that has seen property reportedly seized, including his home in Park View Estate, in the Ikoyi suburb of Lagos.
Yusuf ban served but Amapakabo remains in charge of Nigerian U-23s
September 19 – The future of Nigeria’s under-23 side coach Salisu Yusuf (pictured), remains in limbo after the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) decided to retain Imama Amapakabo as coach for the youth team despite Yusuf’s return from a ban.
Property seized as under-fire Pinnick named in Nigerian corruption probe
September 18 – In a fresh corruption probe, Nigerian authorities have seized a dozen properties from senior officials of its football federation, including the president Amaju Pinnick, until a few months ago the second most powerful figure in African football.
FIFA bosses allegedly block CAF whistleblower El-Sherei’s return after Egyptian FA offer job
By Osasu Obayiuwana
September 16 – Mohamed El-Sherei, recently sacked as CAF’s Finance Director, following allegations of impropriety and incompetence, received another setback, after a subsequent job offer to him from the Normalisation Committee (NC) of the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) was withdrawn.