International Football

WORLD CUP 2014 STADIUMS BECOME HOME TO CORONAVIRUS VICTIMS

Published

6 years ago

March 30, 2020

The costly football stadiums Brazil built and refurbished in the run-up to the 2014 World Cup are finding new life as health centres for patients with coronavirus.

Local governments have started signing agreements to use the stadiums – once destined for star-studded matches – as makeshift hospitals and vaccine centres to help deal with an expected surge of Covid-19 cases.

With football in the country suspended until further notice, more than half the clubs in Brazil’s Serie A have given up their stadiums as authorities in densely populated Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro seek to expand hospital capacity to deal with the crisis.

Current South American champions Flamengo are giving control of their famous Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro to health authorities, said club president Rodolfo Landim.

“In this grim moment, I wanted to invite our great Red and Black nation to renew hope and work for better days. Let us take care of our elders, help those who need it most,” he wrote in a message to supporters.

Authorities in Sao Paulo – Brazil’s biggest city – said they would install 200 beds in a field hospital at the Pacaembu municipal stadium to relieve pressure on the city’s hospitals. Work is already underway at the venue – where football legend Pele played hundreds of matches for Santos FC – while two of the city’s big clubs were also lending a hand.

Santos announced that a temporary clinic would be set up in one of the lounges inside its Vila Belmiro stadium.

Corinthians said they have made their Itaquerao stadium and their training headquarters available “so that the authorities can evaluate how they can be used to combat the spread of the disease”.

On March 23, Allianz Parque, home of the Palmeiras football club in Sao Paulo, a line of people snaked around the outside of the stadium as if a match were about to start. But these were not football fans – they were high-risk Brazilians spaced 3m apart and there to get flu shots.

For Brazilians, it is a useful transformation of structures dubbed “white elephants” that later became symbols of corruption in Latin America’s largest economy.

Back in 2014, the idea of Brazil spending US$11 billion (S$15.7 billion) to host the World Cup was a contentious one, with locals and foreigners alike arguing that a nation struggling to provide basic health care, education and even sewage has no right diverting resources to a football championship.

As construction began, the staggering price tag for the stadiums fuelled a frenzy of protests. One common chant: “We want hospitals with Fifa standards!”

In neighbouring Argentina, six major clubs including Buenos Aires’ Boca Juniors and River Plate have also opened their gates should officials need the space.

Brazil currently has over 4,000 confirmed infections and deaths top 100.

A week ago, Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta had predicted the virus would reach its peak in the country between April and June, anticipating a drop in Covid-19 infections from September.

Mandetta warned the health system in the country of 210 million people could reach saturation by the end of April.

–AFP

International Football

Seven-A-Side Football Governing Body, AFC7 Appoints Cameroon Legend Jean II Makoun as Ambassador

Published

1 week ago

November 25, 2025

Kunle Solaja

Former Cameroon international Jean II Makoun

The African Football Confederation 7 (AFC7), which oversees the seven-a-side version of football, has taken a major leap in its mission to expand the visibility and growth of Football 7 on the continent with the appointment of former Cameroon international Jean II Makoun as its new ambassador.

According to reports from Cameroon’s Kick442, the decision brings into the fold one of the most technically accomplished midfielders of his generation—an ideal fit for a football discipline built on skill, intelligence, close control and quick execution.

Makoun enjoyed a distinguished career spanning nearly 20 years, turning out for top European clubs including Lille, Olympique Lyonnais, Aston Villa and Olympiacos.

He earned over 60 caps for the Indomitable Lions, becoming widely respected for his exceptional ball mastery, vision, tactical awareness and ability to dictate tempo under pressure.

These qualities mirror the demands of Football 7, where agility, creativity in tight spaces and rapid transitions define the game.

AFC7 President Bamnga Jacques expressed strong optimism about the impact Makoun will bring to the sport’s development.
“We welcome Mr. Makoun and are confident in his ability to drive the growth of Football 7 across the continent,” he said.

Makoun’s first assignment as ambassador will take him to Morocco this week, where he will participate in a high-profile seven-aside exhibition match aimed at showcasing the dynamism, flair and fast-paced appeal of the sport.

Football 7—also known as seven-aside—is a compact, high-tempo variation of association football played on smaller pitches with shorter halves. Its emphasis on technique, fluid attacking play and swift decision-making has fueled rapid global growth, and AFC7 is determined to position Africa at the forefront of this evolution.

With Makoun joining the team, AFC7 plans to deepen its development programmes, strengthen community engagement, and create competitive platforms that will accelerate the rise of Football 7 across the continent.

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International Football

Morocco extends record run of successive victories

Published

2 weeks ago

November 19, 2025

Kunle Solaja

Morocco extended their record-breaking run of successive victories to 18 as they beat Uganda 4-0 in a friendly international in Tangier on Tuesday.

The match was part of their preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations finals, which they host next month.

Uganda scored an own goal through defender Herbert Achai in the fourth minute, with Ismael Saibari adding Morocco’s second in the 33rd.

Substitute Soufiane Rahimi converted a penalty in the 79th minute and another substitute, Bilal El Khannouss, made it 4-0 with two minutes remaining.

Morocco went past the previous record of 15, which Spain set between June 2008-2009, in October.

Morocco open the Cup of Nations finals against Comoros in Rabat on December 21.

-Reuters

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International Football

FIFA Unites 2025 Kicks Off in Morocco, Marks Historic Debut for Afghan Refugee Women’s Team

Published

1 month ago

October 25, 2025

Kunle Solaja

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has announced that the inaugural FIFA Unites 2025 women’s competition will take place in Morocco, beginning Sunday, October 26.

According to FIFA, the friendly tournament will feature several women’s national teams and will serve as a landmark event for women’s football, notably marking the first-ever international appearance of the Afghan refugee women’s team.

The side, officially named “Afghan Women United,” was named by the players themselves after consultations with FIFA.

In addition to Afghanistan’s historic participation, the tournament will also see the Libyan and Chadian women’s teams expected to enter the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking for the first time after the event.

FIFA expressed appreciation to the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) for its cooperation and logistical support in hosting the competition, highlighting Morocco’s growing role as a major hub for women’s football development on the African continent.

The global football governing body also reaffirmed its commitment to advancing women’s football and gender inclusion, emphasizing that the competition is part of its Action Strategy for Afghan Women’s Football, approved by the FIFA Council in May 2025.

The strategy encompasses the organization of competitive opportunities, ongoing technical assistance, and support for Afghan players during the selection and preparation stages.

Through FIFA Unites 2025, the organization aims to promote solidarity, inclusion, and empowerment through sport — underscoring football’s unique role in providing hope and opportunity, particularly for women in challenging circumstances.

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