International Football
2023: A prosperous year for African football
With less than a few hours before the dawn of another year, CAFOnline reviews what has been another exceptional and memorable year for African football.
Senegal at the summit of Africa
An expression that resonated three times this year. 4 February 2023, Senegal lifts the CAF African Nations Championship, for the first time in its history. The team led by Pape Thiaw won on penalties against Algeria, host country of the competition.
A collective success in which several individuals stood out, including the red-hot Lamine Camara who was voted best young player in the competition along with Pape Mamadou Sy crowned best goalkeeper.
A few weeks later, it was the turn of their U-20 team coached by Malick Daf to shine, as they edged Gambia 2-0 at the CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations final in Egypt to be crowned U-20 champions for the first time. Not only did they lift the title, but they impressively did also so without conceding a goal.
Motivated by the performances of their elders, the U-17s then followed suit and edged Morocco 2-1 in the CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations final in Algeria. A tournament in which Amara Diouf was crowned top scorer of the competition with five goals.
CAN U-23: Morocco, Egypt and Mali qualified for the Olympic Games
For the first time in their history, Morocco were crowned champions of the CAF U-23 Africa Cup of Nations. They did so in front of their fans when they played host to the tournament and defeated Egypt 2-1 after extra time.
The result meant both Morocco and Egypt gain automatic qualification and would then be joined by Mali who finished third at the competition.
CAF Champions League: Al Ahly get eleventh star
Egyptian giants, Al Ahly secured their 11th CAF Champions League in style after winning the first leg 2-1 to travel to Casablanca where they came from behind to snatch a 1-1 draw which saw them crowned African champions on aggregate.
The final was one of most talked about African club competition matches across the globe and set the tone for what promises to be another exciting edition of the competition in the current season.
CAF Super Cup: USM Alger, the champion of champions
CAF Confederation Cup winners, USM Alger came face to face with Champions League champions, Al Ahly at the King Fahd stadium in the Saudi city of Taif in a match that attracted millions of viewers globally.
An evenly contested encounter was separated by Zineddine Belaid in the 43rd minute which saw the Algerians do the unthinkable by beating Al Ahly in a cup final.
FIFA Women’s World Cup: Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia and Morocco shine
Suffice to say that the four African teams entered in the Women’s World Cup have left their mark on this tournament.
Africa shone bright at the FIFA Women’s World Cup as for the first time in the history of the competition, three African nations made it through to the Round of 16.
Looking at some of the stand out performances, Zambia star player, Barbra Banda made history by scoring the 1000th goal of the competition when playing against Costa Rica.
Zambia’s African counterparts at the tournament, Nigeria, South Africa as well as debutants, Morocco all did well to fly the African flag high in their impressive performances in the group stages that saw them all advance to the knockout stages – a first in the history of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Sundowns crowned African Football League champions
The African Football League has been the new attraction on the Pan-African football calendar. On the starting line, the eight most prestigious teams in African football and at the end a winner: Mamelodi Sundowns. The South Africans won at home in the second leg 2-1 against Wydad.
A first in the history of African Football, the African Football League lifted off in style this year with eight strong African clubs battling it out for the inaugural title.
After a fierce contest across the participating clubs, it was a north versus south battle at Mamelodi Sundowns edged Wydad AC in an exciting two-legged final that saw the South Africans crowned champions.
Mamelodi Sundowns regain CAF Women’s Champions League title
In 2022, they left their throne to AS Far. For the second time in history, Mamelodi Sundowns won the CAF Women’s Champions League by beating Sporting Club de Casablanca 3-0.
U17 World Cup: Mali sweeps Argentina and finishes third in the competition
After surrendering the title to AS Far in 2022, Mamelodi Sundowns regained their continental crown in style after being crowned CAF Women’s Champions League winners without conceding a single goal.
The final saw them comfortably cruise past SC Casablanca 3-0 to officially reclaim their title.
U17 World Cup: Mali sweeps Argentina and finishes third in the competition
The next generation of African football talent shone bright at the world stage during the FIFA U17 Word Cup.
After narrowly losing out to France in the semi-finals, Mali crushed Argentina 3-0 to win the bronze medal at the global showpiece thanks to goals by Mamadou Doumbia, Ibrahim Diarra and Hamidou Makalou.
-CAF
Representatives from four national players’ unions on Thursday launched a new global organisation in Madrid, which they say will strengthen footballers’ rights and improve dialogue with governing bodies.
Opening a new front in the battle over who speaks for players, the International Footballers’ Association (AIF) was unveiled, with David Aganzo, president of Spain’s Association of Footballers (AFE) and a former head of the global union FIFPRO, appointed to lead the organisation.
Players’ unions from Brazil, Mexico and Switzerland were also represented.
The initiative drew a swift rebuke from FIFPRO, which said in a statement that Aganzo was acting out of self-interest and aligning himself with organisations linked to football governing bodies, as well as groups expelled from FIFPRO over alleged mismanagement.
Aganzo rejected the criticism, saying he “will not seek confrontation with FIFPRO”.
The launch comes amid strained relations between players’ unions and football authorities, particularly over the expanding international match calendar.
Relations between FIFA and FIFPRO deteriorated in 2024 after the union lodged a complaint with the European Commission, arguing that the global governing body was abusing its dominant position by adding competitions without sufficient consultation.
Aganzo denied suggestions that the new initiative was backed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, but said “direct dialogue with FIFA” was essential.
AFE’s Extraordinary General Assembly approved the initiative in February with 99.8% of votes cast in favour of spearheading the creation of the AIF.
The same assembly also backed AFE’s withdrawal from FIFPRO, citing what it described as a “complete lack of transparency, as well as its total lack of dialogue with international bodies.”
“We represent over 30,000 footballers, and we come here with a new model aimed at safeguarding players’ rights and facilitating direct communication with all international bodies,” Aganzo told reporters.
“We are in contact with 15 to 20 unions already who were very aware of this moment and waiting for this announcement to make their move and join our initiative.”
He declined to identify any unions beyond those present.
Asked about a report that a senior envoy to U.S. President Donald Trump had urged FIFA to replace Iran with Italy at the upcoming World Cup, Aganzo urged caution.
“These are more political issues; on April 30th, I’ll be speaking to Gianni (Infantino) at the FIFA Congress, and we will discuss those things,” Aganzo said.
“People who want to go to the World Cup have to earn their place on sporting merit.”
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
A new trial over the death of Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona will begin on Tuesday, with seven members of his medical team charged with negligent homicide nearly a year after a previous case collapsed in a mistrial.
An enduring presence in Argentina – from towering murals to tattoos, opens new tab – Maradona died on November 25, 2020, at 60, after a heart attack while he was recuperating from brain surgery to remove a blood clot.
A court in San Isidro, near Buenos Aires, will hear testimony from just under 100 witnesses as it tries Maradona’s medical team over alleged negligence in the death of the 1986 World Cup champion.
His medical team has denied wrongdoing. The defendants are psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychologist Carlos Angel Diaz, physician Nancy Edith Forlini, nurse Ricardo Almiron, head nurse Mariano Ariel Perroni, and physician Pedro Pablo Di Spagna. An eighth defendant, nurse Dahiana Madrid, will be tried in a separate jury trial, with no date yet set.
Two months into the first trial, which started last March, a mistrial was declared when one of three judges, Julieta Makintach, resigned after video surfaced showing her being interviewed by a camera crew in the corridors of the courthouse and in her office as part of a documentary, in breach of judicial rules.
The retrial will require both prosecutors and defense lawyers to reassess their strategies after the first trial aired photographs, videos, audio recordings and forensic evidence. Many witnesses, including Maradona’s children and his former wife, Claudia Villafane, have already testified.
Prosecutors argued in the initial trial that medical professionals broke treatment protocols and that the home where Maradona was recovering from surgery amounted to a “theatre of horror,” where necessary care was not provided.
The defense countered that his death was inevitable given his longstanding health problems. Maradona struggled for decades with cocaine and alcohol addiction.
The negligence charges emerged in 2021 after prosecutors appointed a medical board to investigate Maradona’s death. The panel concluded his medical team acted in an “inappropriate, deficient and reckless” manner.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Aliou Cisse has been named coach of the Angola national team, the country’s football federation (FAF) announced on Thursday, 24 hours after the Senegalese left his post in Libya.
The 50-year-old coach, who led Senegal to their maiden Africa Cup of Nations title in 2022, ended his short stint with the Libyan national team on Wednesday, after taking charge in March 2025.
“Welcome, Aliou Cisse, head coach of the Angola national team,” the FAF said on Facebook. Angola, which failed to reach this year’s World Cup, will start their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign in September.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Mexican goalkeeper joins camp for 6th World Cup appearance
Mexico keeps school calendar unchanged after backlash over World Cup plan
Relatives of Mexico’s disappeared hold Mother’s Day protest ahead of World Cup
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SANUSI CHARGES NIGERIAN COACHES TO BE UPRIGHT, DILIGENT
- Boxing1 week ago
Usyk backs Joshua to beat Fury ahead of heavyweight showdown
- World Cup4 days ago
FIFA Plans Three Opening Ceremonies in All Host Nations for 2026 World Cup
- World Cup3 days ago
United States Unveils Hollywood-Style FIFA World Cup 2026 Opening Ceremony
- World Cup3 days ago
Mexico president wavers on plan to cut school year by 40 days for the World Cup
- World Cup4 days ago
Burna Boy Joins Shakira for Official 2026 World Cup Song ‘Dai Dai’
- World Cup7 days ago
Despite 2026 Absence, Nigeria Still Leads Africa’s World Cup Winners’ Chart
- Nigerian Football3 days ago
Sporting Lagos Crowned 2026 NNL Champions After Dramatic Super Four Finale
- Premier League3 days ago
Man United’s Fernandes and City’s Shaw win FWA Footballer of the Year awards