| Bako determined to secure Nations Cup for Nigeria - 16/05/2006 |
Malam Nasir Danladi Bako, chairman of the Nigeria 2010 Nations Cup Bid committee, was resplendent in his white agbada as he lolled inside the departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. According to an allAfrica.com report, "he showed confidence, but he admitted that the race was no walkover because the countries in the southern region were ganging up to hand it to Mozambique."
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Full allAfrica.com report
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| Kenya to play major role in 2010 - 16/05/2006 |
A Kenyan film, One Country One Game, is among the 45 short films chosen from a pool of about 600 entries worldwide for Germanys Artistry and Cultural program to run alongside the Fifa WC games. OhMyNews.com reports that "Kenyas Director of Culture Silverse Anami, revealed what he called advanced consultations with SA on what role Kenya could play in the 2010 world cup."
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Full OhMyNews.com report
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| No solution in sight for Nigerian football - 09/05/2006 |
At present, two things stand out, like sore thumbs since December 29, 2005 when the crisis in Nigerian Football began: there is a clear leadership vacuum and the game has, sadly, taken a nose-dive both in administration and playing quality. In a This Day column, Duro Ikhazuagbe recalls all the oddities that have happened to football administration in Nigeria making it sound like a broken chord. We have witnessed muscle flexing between Sports Ministers and NFA Chairmen in the past but nothing compares to this impasse that is threatening our participation in both the 2008 Nations Cup and the 2010 World Cup. And there appears to be no solution in sight. Not even the appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sports can put an end to the logjam that is threatening the only unifying factor in the country today.
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Read the full This Day column
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| Europe chases after African jewels - 07/05/2006 |
Where once it was diamonds and other precious raw materials, now Europe is plundering Africa of the jewels in its footballing crown. The Sunday Times reports that "Africa has long been a human resource pool that Europe has exploited, initially with the slave trade but now also in the football world."
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Full Sunday Times report
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| Burundi to host African youth football championship - 05/05/2006 |
Burundi will host the East and Central Africa youth football championship in August. The Standard reports that "the Confederation of East and Central Africa Football Associations Secretary-General, Nicholas Musonye, said the event would bring together players under the age of 20 from 11 countries."
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Full report in The Standard
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| New soccer training complex for Cape Verde - 04/05/2006 |
Fifa president Sepp Blatter has opened a new soccer training complex in Cape Verde and says that he believed the archipelago would qualify for the 2010 WC in SA. Xinhuanet reports that "after inaugurating the 800 000 euros training center for the Cape Verde Football Federation, Blatter admitted he was a fan of the national soccer team and that he thought it would reach the final stages of Fifas first world soccer showpiece in Africa."
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Full Xinhuanet report
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| Botswana to benefit from 2010 - 03/05/2006 |
With only three and a half years left before the 2010 WC is held in neighbouring SA, the committee tasked to ensure that Botswana also benefits from the games is still to come up with a report. ANDnetwork.com reports that "chaired by the Permanesnt Secretary in the labour and home affairs ministry, Bruce Palai, said he was optimistic that one of the competing countries would establish their base in the country to get acclimatised before the start of the games in SA."
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Full ANDnetwork.com report
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| Blatter implements programme to supporting African football - 03/05/2006 |
Fifa president, Sepp Blatter has announced the implementation of an ambitious programme for the next four years aimed at supporting African football. Jadran Sport reports that "Blatter declared that all the living forces will be present to support the African football and he congratulated the decision to hold the 2010 World Cup in SA."
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Full Jadran Sport report
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| Agu wants to train goalkeepers - 02/05/2006 |
Alloy Agu, Nigerian ex-International footballer, lost two teeth some years ago in Kumasi, Ghana, in a match between the Black Stars and the Green Eagles but he refused to quit. And the goalie says that he did that because he loves Nigeria. Sun News reports that "a few years later, Agu went into oblivion, as he faded from the memories of soccer-loving Nigerians. But, today, he says he wants to come back and lay down his life to ensure that Nigeria does not only qualify for the 2010 World Cup but goes ahead to rattle countries like Brazil, Argentina and Netherlands in the global soccer fiesta."
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Full Sun News report
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| Swaziland can qualify for 2010 WC - 28/04/2006 |
It is hard to believe but it is true. Nothing can stop Swaziland from participating in the 2010 WC in SA experts believe. The Swazi Observer reports that "Belgian expert Gino Lauresseyn believes that the talent that local players possess is enough to help the country qualify for the celebrated global soccer showpiece."
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Full report in The Swazi Observer
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| Zimbabwe to benefit from 2010 World Cup finals - 25/04/2006 |
Top Zimbabwe and Africa match official Felix Tangawarima is convinced that the SA Football Association are keen to help Zifa reap rewards from that countrys hosting of the 2010 WC finals. According to an allAfrica.com report, "Safa is saying Zimbabwe can host some of the countries coming to SA and make arrangements to even have those teams fly in and out of that country for their matches."
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Full allAfrica.com report
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| Ghana to host 2008 Nations Cup final - 20/04/2006 |
The Confederation of African Football confirmed the venues for Ghana 2008 as Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi and Tamale. BBC News reports that "the African under-20 championship will be held in Congo with the top four finishers going on to the U-20 World Cup in Canada later in the year."
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Full BBC News report
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| Malawi prepares for World Cup extravaganza - 15/04/2006 |
Imagine three jumbo aircrafts each spilling hundreds of football fans that, in turn, spew into our hotels to savour our local cuisine and sleep in our dream foams in turn for their sweet dollar. NationMalawi.com reports that "one should also try to imagine France’s playmaker Thiery Henry, striker David Trezeguet; Argentine winger Lionel Mecce or Brazil’s Ronaldinho frog-jumping and stretching their murderous limbs at Civo Stadium in preparation for the following day’s World Cup tussle in SA. Big fun, big money!"
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Full NationMalawi.com report
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| Keshi interested in SAs top coaching job - 11/04/2006 |
Former coach of Togo, Stephen Keshi, is one of 13 coaches interested in SAs top coaching job. This Day reports that "several top coaches including England boss Sven Goran-Eriksson and Brazil World Cup-winning coaches Carlos Alberto Parreira and Luiz Felipe Scolari as well as Dutchmen Guus Hiddink and Frank Rijkaard are in line to handle Bafana Bafana ahead of the 2010 World Cup to be hosted for the first time on African soil in SA."
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Full This Day report
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| Swaziland needs to get its house in order for 2010 - 06/04/2006 |
The poor maintenance and fast depreciating condition of the Somhlolo National Stadium has sparked controversy within the football fraternity. The Swazi Observer reports that "the situation is so seriuos that affiliates of the Premier League of Swaziland have vowed to launch an inquest to determine the root of the problem."
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Full report in The Swazi Observer
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| NFA to prepare Nigerian referees for 2010 - 06/04/2006 |
Nigeria Football Association(NFA), says it plans to start preparing Nigerian referees towards their appointment to handle matches at the 2010 WC in SA. The Daily Independent reports that "acting Secretary-General of the football body, Fanny Amun, said seminars and refresher courses would be organised for top Nigerian referees to enable them to cope with the task of handling World Cup matches."
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Full Daily Independent report
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| SA considers strategies to deal with asylum seekers - 29/03/2006 |
SA will have to devise a strategy on how to deal with the possible influx of asylum seekers during the 2010 WC. The Daily News reports that "commenting on the large number of athletes from various countries who used the Commonwealth Games in Australia to disappear and try to make a new life in the host country, chairman of the National Assemblys sports committee, Butana Khompela predicted SA could experience the same phenomenon."
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Full Daily News report
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| African soccer gets an additional R15m boost - 23/03/2006 |
Standard Bank is to inject R15m into African football over the next few years after reaching an agreement with SportFive, the marketing agent of the Confederation of African Football. According to a report on the News24 site, "the Standard Bank Group, which has representation in 17 African countries including SA, announced that it is an official sponsor of the MTN Africa Cup of Nations, Ghana 2008."
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Full report on the News24 site
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| Situation bleak for Africa ahead of World Cup- 22/03/2006 |
Five months after the continent celebrated what at the time was perceived to be the changing of the guard, the initial euphoria has since faded and paralysing trepidation has crept in slowly. These are difficult times, because a nervous African continent is biting its nails as the 2006 Soccer World Cup opening match between host Germany and Costa Rica on June 9 approaches. In a column in Business Day, Ntloko says this feels like a lifetime away from that dizzy week last October, when African football seemed to have been shaken to its foundation, and observers predicted a shift in the balance of power.
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Read the full Business Day column
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| Swaziland gets Fifa approval over WC stadiums - 21/03/2006 |
Fifa has approved the local stadiums ahead of the WC 2010 to be hosted in neighbouring SA. The Swazi Observer reports that "the Fifa delegation visited the country last year to inspect some of the stadiums and they have been given the go ahead to improve their stadiums so that some countries would use them for training during the World Cup."
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Full report in The Swazi Observer
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| Fierce scramble to host 2010 African Nations Cup - 05/03/2006 |
The hosts for the 2010 African Nations Cup finals will be decided in September. Ther Pretoria News reports that "Angola, Libya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal and Zimbabwe are all hoping to host the finals along with a joint bid from Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. Consideration will be given to factors such as the regions where previous finals have been held, language, footballing aspects, government guarantees and organisational ability."
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Full Pretoria News report
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| 2010 set to benefit the entire African continent - 27/02/2006 |
A government-backed programme to ensure that the hosting of the 2010 WC benefits the entire continent is to be launched. The Star reports that "this was announced by Danny Jordaan, CE of the LOC, and while mindful of the fact that at the moment the spotlight was still on Germany, he said plans were already being made to launch the African Legacy Programme in July."
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Full report in The Star
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