CHAN enters knockout stages with Morocco leading the way
January 26 – Angola and Congo-Brazzaville booked the last spots for the quarterfinals of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) as the tournament’s knockout stages begin this weekend.
Africa
Weah sworn in as Liberian president and vows to end country’s corruption
January 23 – Liberia’s George Weah, the former world footballer of the year who made the remarkable step of switching to politics and going all the way to becoming president of his country, was officially sworn into power on Monday and promised a crackdown on systematic corruption.
CAS lifts 5-year ban on Senegal’s US Ouakam saying stadium disaster was not their fault
January 19 – The Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS has lifted a five-year ban imposed on Senegalese club US Ouakam. In July 2017 eight people were killed by a stampede at the game US Ouakam – Stade de Mbour during Senegal’s cup final.
Swaziland league chairman Victor Gamedze gunned down in suspected contract killing
January 17 – Swaziland is in shock and all football in the country has been suspended after Premier League of Swaziland chairman Victor Gamedze (pictured) was gunned down at a petrol station in a targeted assassination on Sunday evening.
Morocco open CHAN 2018 with a win, and put a marker down in 2026 World Cup bid battle
By Samindra Kunti
January 15 – Hosts Morocco opened the fifth edition of the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) with a thumping win against neighbours Mauritania, putting forward their credentials as a renewed force in African football both on the pitch and as hosts of major tournaments.
CAF takes control of ref payments in battle against match-fixing
January 12 – Referees in African international matches are to be paid directly by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) instead of national associations in the wake of Ghanaian official Joseph Lamptey’s (pictured) life ban for match-fixing.
CAF inspection team heads for Cameroon to examine 2019 AFCON credentials
January 11 – The Confederation of African football CAF has sent an inspection team to Cameroon to assess the preparations for the 2019 African Cup of Nations. In the past CAF president Ahmad Ahmad has repeatedly cast doubt over Cameroon’s credentials to stage the tournament.
FIFA head for Mali to mediate power struggle and set up elections
January 10 – A FIFA delegation is expected in Mali this week to organise the process of holding fresh elections after a normalisation committee was established last month to run the day-to-day affairs of the Malian Football Association (Femafoot).
Chiyangwa cashes in as Zimbabwe FA hits financial crisis and calls for help
January 8 – Zimbabwe’s, under the oversight of new Sports Minister Raymond Kazembe, is working to put the sport’s finances on a more solid footing, with an extraordinary general meeting of ZIFA having been arranged and a new sponsorship for key teams in the offing. Meanwhile it has emerged ZIFA President Philip Chiyangwa earned $72,000 in 2017 from renting out his offices to the association.
Salah wins CAF player of year award as Ahmad drops two awards to focus on ‘best’
January 5 – Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah won the 2017 CAF African Football Player of the Year Award. Egypt’s Hector Cuper was named Coach of the Year and for a third time Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala won the Women’s Player of the Year award.
Ivorian clubs plot Diallo’s removal over failure to qualify for Russia 2018
January 5 – The failure of the Ivory Coast to qualify for next year’s World Cup in Russia continues to have a knock-on effect off the field with a raft of clubs calling for an extraordinary general meeting of the national federation and the removal its president Augustin Sidy Diallo.
Bility denies FIFA are investigating and says he knows nothing of the missing $600k
By Paul Nicholson
January 4 – The Liberian FA (LFA) and its president Musa Bility have hit back saying that the pre-Christmas visit to their country by a FIFA team of financial investigators was in fact a compliance audit and not a forensic audit tasked with investigating financial corruption in Liberian football.
Egyptian fans jailed for commemorating dead of Port Said disaster
January 3 – An Egyptian court has sentenced 28 fans to jail for one year for paying tribute to those killed in the infamous Port Said disaster five years ago, accusing them of incitement.
Weah hits the mark with Liberian youth to win vote for country’s presidency
December 28 – It isn’t every day that a former World Football Player of the Year becomes president of his country but Liberia’s George Weah has made that remarkable transition after the second round of voting in a sometimes acrimonious election campaign saw him defeat 73-year-old Joseph Boakai who has been vice president for the last 12 years.
FIFA orders Sierra Leone to reform and rules Johansen dismissal invalid
December 27 – The bitter in-fighting over who runs Sierra Leone football has taken another twist with FIFA’s Members Association Committee giving under-fire Sierra Leone FA (SLFA) president Isha Johansen a boost by ordering a series of reforms.