Africa ‘Eat, dream football culture’ propels Al Ahly to 12th CAF Champions League title By Oliver Ochieng, bird story agency It is no surprise that Egyptian giants, Al Ahly are the Confederation of African Football (CAF) TotalEnergies 2023/2024 Champions League winners for a record 12th time, according to a Kenyan footballing strategist and coach. The Egyptian ‘Red Devils’ beat Tunisia’s Esperance Sportive de Tunis 1-0 at a packed Cairo International Stadium on Saturday, May 25, 2024, in the second leg of […] todayMay 28, 2024 14
insert_link Africa Al Ahly and Esperance highlight the dominance of North Africa in club football. Lessons for other African teams By Mahfoud Amara, Qatar University Al Ahly, based in Cairo, and Esperance, in Tunis, are among the most successful clubs in the history of the main club cup competition in Africa, the CAF Champions League. Al Ahly has reached the finals multiple times and boasts 11 titles, making it the most successful club in the competition’s history. Similarly, Esperance has secured the title multiple times. These […] todayMay 20, 2024 15
insert_link Africa The Moroccan referee who has overcome cultural barriers and gender stereotypes to make history at AFCON 2023 By Joel Omotto, bird story agency Bouchra Karboubi is blazing a trail through the beautiful game. While there has been a laudable increase in the number of female referees at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) following the appointment of six women, only one has been given the mandate to officiate as a centre referee, with the rest working as either assistant referees or Video Assistant Referees […] todayFebruary 9, 2024 16
insert_link Africa Afcon’s decision to allow 24 countries to play is paying off – and having dramatic repercussions By Chuka Onwumechili, Howard University By the end of the group stage, the 34th Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) was one of the most exciting and memorable Afcon tournaments in recent memory. This was particularly true of the performances of the continent’s best players on the field. As a scholar of sports communication with a focus on African football, I’ve followed developments with interest, notably the 2021 decision to […] todayJanuary 26, 2024 4
insert_link Opinion Pieces Morocco’s fabulous football year – what’s behind their success on and off the field By Mahfoud Amara, Qatar University In 2022 Morocco became the first African and Arab national football team to reach a Fifa World Cup men’s semi-final; and Wydad AC won the Africa Champions League. The good news continued in 2023 with the women’s team making history by reaching the final 16 at the World Cup and the news that Morocco will host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournament […] todayDecember 20, 2023 56