International Football

Cameroon, Africans Get Anti Racism Protection

Published

9 years ago

June 18, 2017

Cameroon, and indeed Africans can heave a sigh of relief as FIFA appears set to combat racism which is believed to be prevalent in Russia as regards to players of African origin. Monkey chants are common when Africans are on the field.

It is feared that such chants may come up when Cameroon take on Germany in Sochi next Sunday. Cameroon will open their 2017 Confederations Cup account this Sunday with a match with Chile in Moscow, but the greatest concern is the match next week in Sochi.

Just last month, in a Russian government sponsored public parade to herald the 2017 Confederations Cup, Russians in Sochi wore black painted faces and afro wigs to depict Cameroonians and were seen holding bananas as if they were monkeys.

The incident in Sochi, Russia has already triggered off what Cameroon should expect in Russia this year and the expectations of the five African teams that will feature at Russia 2018 World Cup.

But the world football governing body, FIFA, is taking steps to douse what could lead to potentially explosive situation.

The Olympic Games in the past had witnessed boycotts, even after teams’ arrivals as it happened in 1976 in Montreal, Canada and also in Moscow, Russia in1980.

FIFA events are yet to experience such. So, for the first time, Sports Village Square has gathered, in an official tournament, FIFA will use a three-step procedure in case of discriminatory incidents and also deploy anti-discrimination observers at all matches of the ongoing FIFA Confederations Cup 2017.

First, referees have been empowered to first stop a match and request a public announcement to insist that the discriminatory behaviour must stop.

The referee will suspend the match until the behaviour stops following another warning announcement, and finally, if the behaviour still persists, the referee will call off the match.

According to a media statement from FIFA, “anti-discrimination observers, meanwhile, are a natural continuation of the monitoring system that FIFA has put in place to monitor FIFA World Cup qualifiers and selected friendlies.

“The match observers are coordinated and trained by the Fare network, an organisation with a long track record of monitoring and fighting discrimination in football. Based on Fare’s ‘Global guide to discriminatory practices in football’, the match observers will monitor the behaviour of fans from both teams, as well as any spectators who are not affiliated to a particular team playing in the match.

“Should any discriminatory incidents occur during a match, the evidence collected by the match observers will be forwarded to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee for review and potential action.

International Football

FIFA Releases Official Match Schedule for FIFA Series 2026™

Published

8 hours ago

February 23, 2026

Kunle Solaja

FIFA has unveiled the official match schedule for the FIFA Series 2026™, confirming fixtures for the expanded international friendly tournament set to take place during the March and April 2026 international match window.

The release marks another key milestone in the growth of the FIFA Series™, an initiative approved by the FIFA Council in December 2022 as part of FIFA’s Strategic Objectives for the Global Game: 2023–2027. The programme is designed to promote the development of men’s and women’s national teams by facilitating competitive matches between countries from different confederations that rarely meet on the international stage.

Building on the success of its pilot edition in 2024, the 2026 tournament will feature 48 national teams — men’s and women’s combined — representing nearly a quarter of FIFA’s 211 Member Associations. The teams will compete in 12 groups of four, hosted by 11 FIFA Member Associations across multiple regions. Rwanda will stage two of the groups.

Nine groups will involve men’s national teams, while three groups will feature women’s national teams. All six FIFA confederations will be represented, underscoring the global reach of the initiative.

According to FIFA, the Series aims to bring together teams with varied competitive profiles, ranging from established international sides to emerging football nations. The competition is structured to provide meaningful international exposure while enhancing technical, tactical and administrative capacity across federations.

Although the matches are classified as international friendlies, Participating Member Associations have agreed on flexible competition formats. Some groups will adopt a semi-final and final structure, while others will stage pre-arranged fixtures. In all cases, drawn matches will proceed directly to penalty shoot-outs without extra time, ensuring a decisive outcome. Each group will produce a winner, regardless of format.

FIFA has endorsed this participant-led approach, noting that it increases the competitive intensity of the fixtures while maintaining flexibility for host associations.

All matches in the FIFA Series 2026™ will be broadcast globally, guaranteeing worldwide access and heightened visibility for participating teams and their supporters.

With the publication of the full schedule, participating federations, stakeholders and fans now have clarity on the upcoming fixtures as preparations intensify for the March and April international window.

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International Football

Morocco Reasserts as Africa’s Football Hub Ahead of March 2026 FIFA Window

Published

4 days ago

February 19, 2026

Kunle Solaja

By Kunle Solaja.

Despite lingering debates over the controversial finale of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco is once again positioning itself as the continent’s premier football destination.

As the football world prepares for the March 2026 FIFA international break, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has confirmed that the country will host an extensive programme of international friendlies, including the sixth edition of the Morocco, Capital of African Football tournament.

Scheduled for March 23 to March 31, 2026, the competition will bring together eight national teams, seven from Africa and Palestine from the Asian Football Confederation, for a week-long series of matches in Rabat and Casablanca.

Tournament Fixtures

Each participating team will play twice during the international window.

March 27 Fixtures

Libya vs Niger
Mauritania vs Liberia
Benin vs Palestine
Togo vs Guinea

March 31 Fixtures

Guinea vs Benin
Liberia vs Libya
Niger vs Togo
Palestine vs Mauritania

The tournament continues Morocco’s strategic positioning as a neutral and well-equipped venue for African and intercontinental fixtures, reinforcing its growing reputation for organisation, infrastructure and match-day atmosphere.

Beyond hosting duties, Morocco’s senior national team, the Atlas Lions, will also utilise the FIFA window to play two high-profile international friendlies as part of preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The friendlies are expected to serve as tactical rehearsals, allowing the technical crew to assess squad depth, refine combinations and test strategic adjustments ahead of global competition.

While last month’s AFCON final sparked heated discussions across the continent, Morocco’s swift pivot to hosting another major international gathering underscores its enduring appeal as a football centre.

With modern stadiums, reliable logistics and proven tournament experience, the country continues to attract federations seeking competitive fixtures in a stable environment.

For many national teams preparing for World Cup qualifiers and continental campaigns, Morocco has become more than a host, it is increasingly the default destination.

And as March 2026 approaches, the continent’s football heartbeat will once again pulse through Rabat and Casablanca.

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International Football

Egypt’s Sobhi sentenced to a year in prison in academic fraud case

Published

2 months ago

December 31, 2025

Kunle Solaja

Football - Men - Group C - Australia v Egypt - Miyagi Stadium, Miyagi, Japan - July 28, 2021. Ramadan Sobhi of Egypt reacts REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

Egypt international Ramadan Sobhi, who helped Pyramids win their first CAF Champions League title last season and previously played in the English Premier League, has been sentenced to one year in prison in connection with an academic fraud case, local media reported on Tuesday.

Sobhi was arrested in July upon returning from Turkey, where Pyramids had completed a pre-season camp, following allegations of falsifying official documents and having another individual sit for exams on his behalf at a private tourism and hospitality institute in Giza Governorate, Central Egypt.

The Giza Criminal Court sentenced 28-year-old Sobhi on Tuesday and a second defendant to one year with labor, acquitted a third, and handed a 10-year sentence in absentia to a fourth, who is a fugitive.

Sobhi’s lawyer could not be reached immediately for comment.

In addition to the prison sentence, Sobhi faces a four-year suspension after the Court of Arbitration for Sport confirmed violations of anti-doping regulations in November.

Sobhi, who has played 37 times for Egypt, began his career at Al-Ahly before moving to England in 2016, where he played for Stoke City and Huddersfield Town.

Sobhi joined Pyramids in 2020 from Huddersfield Town, following a loan spell at Al-Ahly, and played a key role in helping Pyramids secure their first CAF Champions League title after defeating Mamelodi Sundowns in the final.

Reuters

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