Africa Sport News — Page 84
South African midfielder Jayden Adams has tragically passed away just days after returning from the FIFA World Cup.
South African football has been plunged into mourning following reports that Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Jayden Adams has died at the age of 25, just days after returning from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.The talented midfielder was part of South Africa's historic World Cup campaign, making three appearances as Bafana Bafana progressed to the Round of 32 before bowing out to co-hosts Canada.Adams' performances in the tournament further highlighted his growing importance to both club and country and cemented his reputation as one of South Africa's brightest midfield talents.Adams joined Mamelodi Sundowns after establishing himself as one of the standout players in the South African Premier Division during his time with Stellenbosch FC.News of his reported passing has sent shockwaves across the football fraternity, with tributes pouring in from supporters, teammates, former colleagues and football stakeholders.The South African Football Players Union described Adams as a gifted footballer who proudly represented his country on the biggest stage, while fans have taken to social media to express their grief over the loss of a player whose career appeared destined for even greater heights.The circumstances surrounding Adams' death remain unclear. While some reports have speculated...
Gideon Mensah shares his motivation for signing with FC Koln, despite receiving attention from various other teams.
Ghana defender Gideon Mensah has opened up on his decision to join German club FC Koln. The 27-year-old, who turns 28 in seven days time, signed a two-year deal to join the Bundesliga side in the summer transfer window.The moves brings an end to an impressive career in the French league with AJ Auxerre, where he made over 100 appearances, including 98 Ligue 1 games.According to the Black Stars left-back, the decision to move to the Bundesliga felt best and right one following his meeting with the officials of Koln."After the World Cup, I had several options. But in the discussions with the FC officials, who went to great lengths to sign me, I had the best feeling from the start. Added to that is the sporting prospects the club outlined for me," he said after signing the deal."And of course, I've already heard a lot about the city and the extraordinary support of the FC fans, which I'm really looking forward to. Just like I did for Ghana and my previous clubs, I will give my all for FC so that the club achieves its goals and we are successful as a team,” he added....
Gideon Mensah brings both quality and reliability to FC Köln, according to the sporting director.
Bundesliga side FC Köln believe the signing of Ghana international Gideon Mensah will strengthen their squad with added quality and stability ahead of the 2026/27 season.The 27-year-old left-back has joined the German club on a long-term deal after leaving French Ligue 1 side AJ Auxerre as a free agent following the expiration of his contract.Sporting director Thomas Kessler said the club had monitored Mensah for an extended period before completing the transfer, citing the defender’s consistency, tactical discipline and performances for both club and country.“We have been monitoring Gideon for quite some time and are delighted that we have been able to bring him to FC. He brings international experience, delivered strong performances in France last season and confirmed that quality at the World Cup.“Gideon is a player who consistently puts the team first and impresses with his tactical discipline, defensive strength and dynamism. With his profile, he will add quality and stability to our squad while strengthening our options in that position,” Kessler said.Mensah arrives in Cologne after four seasons with Auxerre, where he established himself as a regular in the French top flight.The Ghana international also enhanced his reputation at the FIFA...
10 Most Outstanding Nigerian Players in WAFCON History
The 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will get under way in Morocco on Sunday, 26 July, with defending champions Nigeria aiming to capture a record-extending 11th continental title. Over the years, a host of Super Falcons stars have left an indelible mark on Africa’s biggest women’s football tournament, producing iconic performances and setting the [...]
FC Koln's sporting director praises Gideon Mensah's World Cup experience following the finalization of his transfer.
Bundesliga side FC Köln have backed new signing Gideon Mensah to add quality and stability to their squad after completing the signing of the Ghana international on a long-term contract.The 27-year-old joins the German club as a free agent after bringing an end to his four-year spell with French Ligue 1 side AJ Auxerre.Sporting director Thomas Kessler revealed the club had been tracking the Black Stars left-back for an extended period before securing his signature.“We have been monitoring Gideon for quite some time and are delighted that we have been able to bring him to FC. He brings international experience, delivered strong performances in France last season and confirmed that quality at the World Cup,” Kessler said.Mensah arrives in Germany following an impressive FIFA World Cup campaign, playing every minute of Ghana’s four matches as the Black Stars reached the Round of 32 before suffering a narrow defeat to Colombia.The defender became available after his contract with Auxerre expired, ending a successful stint that began with a loan move in 2021 before becoming permanent a year later.Last season, Mensah made 30 Ligue 1 appearances and contributed two assists as Auxerre secured top-flight survival.
U-17 WWCQ: Busari Assured Flamingos Will Triumph Over Benin Challenge
Flamingos head coach Akeem Busari is confident his team will book a place at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup despite a stern challenge from Benin Republic. Nigeria will face the Young Amazons in the second leg of their final qualifying round tie at the Stade de Kégué in Lomé on Saturday (today). The [...]
Gideon Mensah finalizes his transfer to FC Köln on a free deal lasting until 2028.
Ghana international Gideon Mensah has completed a move to Bundesliga side FC Köln on a long-term contract ahead of the 2026/27 season.Done deal ✍️Schön dat du do bes, Gideon🫶_#effzeh pic.twitter.com/tGgpwliU4z— 1. FC Köln (@fckoeln) July 11, 2026 The 27-year-old left-back arrives at the German club as a free agent after ending his four-year association with French Ligue 1 outfit AJ Auxerre, where he established himself as a key figure in the team.Mensah’s transfer comes on the back of an impressive FIFA World Cup campaign in North America, where he featured in every minute of Ghana’s four matches.The Black Stars advanced to the Round of 32 before their tournament ended with a 1-0 defeat to Colombia.The former Red Bull Salzburg defender became available after his contract with Auxerre expired, with both parties unable to reach an agreement on an extension.During the 2025/26 Ligue 1 season, Mensah played a significant role in Auxerre’s fight for survival, making 30 league appearances and providing two assists as the club successfully avoided relegation.The Ghanaian defender initially joined Auxerre on loan in 2021 before making the move permanent the following year.His consistency, defensive ability, and experience made him one...
WAFCON 2026: Plumptre Regrets Missing Out on Super Falcons Roster
Ashleigh Plumptre has expressed her disappointment after being left out of Nigeria’s squad for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. Head coach Justine Madugu unveiled his 25-player squad for the tournament on Friday, with Plumptre among the notable absentees. The versatile defender has been sidelined since March after suffering a foot injury while on [...]
World Cup 2026: Switzerland Will Give Their All To Overcome Argentina – Xhaka
Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka has disclosed that the team will sacrifice everything to overcome Argentina in the quarter-final of the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026. While acknowledging the difficulty of stopping Lionel Messi, Xhaka stated that the Swiss squad is ready to push their limits and make historic strides to the semi-finals. Read Also:World Cup [...]
Enugu Rangers Refutes Simon's Allegation of Discrimination
Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) champions, Enugu Rangers, have denied claims by Super Eagles winger Moses Simon that he was not given a contract after a three-month trial because he was not Igbo. Simon, who currently plays for French Ligue 1 club Paris FC, made the claim in an interview with UrbanDwellSport. The 30-year-old disclosed [...]
World Cup 2026: Spain Confident Against France –Yamal
Barcelona star Lamine Yamal has disclosed that Spain has no fear of France ahead of their FIFA World Cup semi-final clash in Dallas. The teenage superstar made this known after Spain’s dramatic 2-1 quarter-final victory over Belgium in Los Angeles on Friday. Read Also:World Cup 2026: Ten Hag Distances Self From Replacing Koeman As Netherlands [...]
Assistant coach Roger De Sa attributes Ghana's exit from the World Cup to the burdensome travel schedule.
Black Stars assistant coach Roger De Sa has identified extensive travel between host cities as one of the biggest challenges Ghana faced during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.Ghana began their campaign with a 1-0 victory over Panama in Toronto before travelling to Boston for their second Group G match against England. The Black Stars then headed to Philadelphia for their final group fixture, where they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Croatia.Despite progressing to the Round of 32, Ghana's World Cup journey ended in Kansas City after a narrow 1-0 loss to Colombia.Reflecting on the tournament, the South African coach praised the organisation of the competition but admitted the demanding travel schedule took a toll on the players.“You know World Cups are always special; you go to one or two of them, and they always get better, you know," De Sa told 947's MSW.“I thought it was a fantastic tournament, very well organised. Great stadiums, great hotels, everything has been good. Good crowds, the stadiums are full.“If there was one difficulty, I think it was the travel. The cities were quite distant sometimes, in different time zones. So, that does have an effect on all...
Fredrick Thrilled With New Brentford Agreement, Aiming for Premier League Debut
Benjamin Fredrick has expressed his delight after signing a new four-year contract with Brentford and earning promotion to the club’s first-team squad. The Premier League club announced on Friday that the Nigeria international has signed a new long-term contract, committing his future to the Bees. Fredrick also reserved special praise for his former Brentford B [...]
Venezia Finalize Deal With Sevilla For Adams
Serie A club Venezia have reached an agreement with Sevilla to sign Super Eagles striker Akor Adams, Completesports.com reports. According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Sevilla will receive a €16 million transfer fee for the Nigeria international. The Spanish club turned down earlier bids from Venezia before the Serie A side returned with an improved [...]
Ghana's Nathaniel Adjei has commenced pre-season training with FC Lorient in preparation for the upcoming season.
Ghana international Nathaniel Adjei has officially begun preseason training with French Ligue 1 side FC Lorient as preparations gather pace for the 2026/27 season.Adjei, 23, has rejoined his teammates after the summer break and is expected to play a key role for Les Merlus as they gear up for another campaign in the French top flight.FC Lorientâs preseason schedule gets underway with a series of friendly matches, starting against US Concarneau, as the club builds fitness ahead of the new season.Adjei heads into preseason with renewed confidence following an encouraging return from injury last season.The ex-Hammarby IF guardsman re-established himself in the Lorient backline after recovering from a lengthy setback and produced a string of impressive performances that earned praise from supporters and coaching staff alike.He has also been the subject of transfer speculation in recent months, but he has repeatedly insisted that his focus remains on FC Lorient and helping the club achieve its objectives in the upcoming campaign.Adjei, who joined Lorient permanently in 2024 after an initial loan spell, will be aiming to build on his growing reputation as one of Ghanaâs most promising defenders.A strong preseason could further cement his...
The dedication of the Black Maidens instills confidence as we approach the showdown with Senegal - Bashirudeen Sumani
Black Maidens assistant coach Bashirudeen Sumani believes his side's strong commitment and preparations have put Ghana in a good position ahead of Saturday's crucial FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup qualifier against Senegal.The Black Maidens host Senegal at the Accra Sports Stadium, hoping to secure a positive result and move closer to sealing a place at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.Speaking before the game, Sumani praised the attitude of his players while stressing that Ghana will not take their opponents lightly despite previous meetings."Yes, we are ready. We've been away in Senegal. We drew with them. We are home for a week now. We have been preparing towards the match. Our girls' commitment is very high. Our focus is very keen to ourselves. And I think by now, you should see how our training went. And it tells you that we are ready," he told GFA Communications"Every team is a threat when you are going to play a match. They are not. We are not undermining them. We've seen them. We've seen them play. They are part of the competition. So once they are part of the competition, they are a threat. So you have to...
Bashirudeen Sumani urges supporters to rally behind the Black Maidens in their match against Senegal.
Black Maidens assistant coach Bashirudeen Sumani has appealed to Ghanaian fans to fill the Accra Sports Stadium and support the national U-17 women's team in Saturday's crucial FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup qualifier against Senegal.The Black Maidens need a positive result on home soil to book their place at the global tournament, and Sumani believes the backing of the supporters can make a big difference.Speaking ahead of the decisive clash, the assistant coach praised the commitment of his players and thanked fans for their support throughout the qualifying campaign."Every match, we take it very serious. Not just only this match. Right when we hit on for these qualifiers, we have all the motivation and other...motivations from elsewhere and most especially at the FA and these girls have been ready on set and today as we speak. They are very ready the motivation and their commitment level is very high that we think that tomorrow victory shall be ours," he said"Fans we always thank them all the time when we started our campaign towards this this World Cup in Togo we saw how they trooped into the stadium although it was an away but massive support was...
World Cup 2026: Jeremy Doku exits with Belgium while Nico Williams propels Spain forward.
Spain booked their place in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Belgium on Friday, in a quarter-final that saw two players of Ghanaian descent take centre stage.Substitute Nico Williams, the younger brother of Ghana forward Inaki Williams, played his part as Spain secured a late winner to continue their quest for a second World Cup title.For Belgium, however, Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku saw his tournament come to an end as the Red Devils fell just short of a place in the last four.Spain will now face France in the semi-finals after Mikel Merino's late strike proved decisive.Fabian Ruiz puts Spain aheadOn the matchday, Spain made a positive start and almost opened the scoring in the 30th minute when Dani Olmo collected a loose pass inside the penalty area and fired a low effort towards goal.Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois reacted well to make a comfortable save, but moments later he was beaten.Fabian Ruiz was quickest to react after the ball broke kindly inside the penalty area, firing a low finish into the middle of the net to hand Spain a deserved 1-0 lead.Belgium hit...
World Cup 2026: Yassine Bounou garners international acclaim despite Morocco's departure in the quarter-finals.
Yassine Bounouâs strong showing against France has drawn praise from several international newspapers, even though Morocco were knocked out of the World Cup quarter-finals.The 2-0 defeat did not stop reporters from highlighting the goalkeeperâs calm presence, sharp reflexes, and ability to keep the scoreline from becoming heavier.French daily LâEquipe focused on Bounouâs leadership and fast reactions, saying he remains one of the greatest goalkeepers in Moroccan football history. The newspaper also questioned whether he will still be involved at the next World Cup or even continue until the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027.Spainâs AS went further by spotlighting his saved penalty from Kylian Mbappe in the 28th minute, describing it as a historic moment in the tournament. The paper noted that Bounouâs total of seven saved penalties in World Cup play now puts him ahead of several famous names in the goalkeeping department, including Harald Schumacher, Iker Casillas, and Dominik Livakovic. He was the highest-rated player for Morocco with 8.0 according to Sofascore.Meanwhile, Arabic-language outlets such as Al Araby Al Jadeed and Asharq Al Awsat praised his six decisive saves and his unusual penalty-saving routine, which has unsettled opponents before. Even in defeat, Bounou emerged...
World Cup 2026: Nico Williams prepared for Spain's semi-final clash against France
Spain forward Nico Williams is pumped up ahead of La Rojaâs semi-final showdown against France at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The youngster was a second-half substitute for the reigning European champions on Friday night as they battled Belgium in the quarter-finals.In a game played at SoFi Stadium, goals from Fabian Ruiz and Charles De Ketelaere were cancelled out in the first half before substitute Mikel Merino netted the crucial winning goal for Spain in the 88th minute.After overcoming Belgium, Spain must now brace themselves for a huge semi-final test against 2022 finalist France.Looking ahead to the blockbuster showdown, Nico Williams has indicated that Spain will go into the game to give their all and enjoy it."We're really looking forward to the match against France; whatever happens, we have to enjoy it,â Williams said.Regarding his injury, which has denied him playing time at the World Cup 2026, the young star described the situation as a source of misery."It's been a year of misery; life hits you with blows, and you have to get back up,â Williams shared.The semi-final clash between France and Spain will be played on Tuesday, July 14, and is scheduled...