Latest news with #African-based
CAF
27-07-2025
- Sport
- CAF
Six days to go: Angola boss Gonçalves hails CAF for championing homegrown talent with CHAN
As the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 edges closer, Angola's head coach Pedro Gonçalves is leading his team with quiet confidence and deep reflection of his six years in charge of the Palancas Negras. Celebrating six years at the helm of the Palancas Negras, the Portuguese tactician believes Angola is primed to showcase its local talent despite facing challenges of player availability and group-stage pressure. In this exclusive interview with Gonçalves delves into Angola's CHAN qualification journey, the transformative power of the competition for local players, and his optimism about the future of football in the COSAFA region. He also acknowledges the difficult task ahead in a group that includes CHAN heavyweights Morocco and DR Congo, as well as co-hosts Kenya and regional rivals Zambia. With a mix of pragmatism and belief, Gonçalves sees CHAN not just as a tournament but as a platform for growth and recognition for African-based players. Here is the full Q&A: Q: Coach, you are preparing for yet another TotalEnergies CAF CHAN tournament. What are your views on the current state of the team? I have the privilege of celebrating six years as Angola's national team coach. The journey has been long and enjoyable. Our progress since 2019 has been substantial, and this will be the second consecutive CHAN that I am proud to have qualified Angola for. As a result of our development in recent years, Angola has become a goldmine for world football, and many of our most prominent players are now playing abroad, which means they won't be available for this competition. Nevertheless, I have always emphasized—and continue to stress to the players—the great importance of CHAN, as it serves both as a window of opportunity for local players and as a barometer for the entire internal football structure. Q: What do you make of the team's performance in the qualifiers? The fact that in 2024 we were the national team with the biggest rise in the FIFA rankings worldwide allowed us to skip the first qualifying round. On one hand, that was a good thing, but on the other, it meant we had less time to work and develop directly with the locally based players. We ended up playing the qualifier against Lesotho, which is always a very competitive opponent. I believe we were rightful winners of the tie, which was practically decided in the first leg with our 2-goal away victory. In the second leg at home, we were able to manage the squad and give other players the chance to compete. Despite losing that match due to an entirely unnecessary penalty, we always controlled the tie and were never in danger of missing qualification. Q: What makes this TotalEnergies CAF CHAN tournament important for Angolan Football? CHAN is of vital importance in boosting local talent. The vast majority of African national teams play mostly (or even entirely) with players who are based outside their countries. I think CAF brilliantly created a very interesting and attractive competitive space that opens the door for locally based players who aspire to reach higher sporting levels. CHAN provides visibility for local talent. Q: What have you made of the growth and competitiveness of African football? In recent seasons, CAF has implemented a series of initiatives that have increasingly raised the quality and visibility of African competitions. Africa holds the future talent of global football, and as such, interest from the global football world is growing. This is evident in the attention given to African competitions—not only from outside the continent but also from within, as there is growing enthusiasm and appreciation for what is being produced in African football. Q: Looking at your group, what do you make of your opponents and your chances of going to the KO stages? We are clearly in the most competitive group. Looking at the five teams in the group, only two have won CHAN twice—Morocco and the DRC—and they are clearly the favorites to qualify. Then there's the host nation, Kenya, which has made a significant investment. Zambia and ourselves will be seen as the 'underdogs,' but I believe we will fight relentlessly for a place in the quarterfinals. We may not be the favorites, but we will certainly have something to say in that fight. Q: What goals are you looking to set for your team in this competition? Considering that in the last edition we finished second in a group of three and didn't qualify—due to two draws in two matches—having the chance to play four games this time is already a great opportunity for this group of local players. We will fight for a place in the quarterfinals, which would be a fantastic goal to achieve given the strength of the teams in our group. Q: No Southern African nation has lifted the title. What do you make of this statistic and the chances of Southern African nations at the tournament? The progress of the COSAFA region has been gradual and significant. If we consider that seven of the teams in the upcoming AFCON are from the COSAFA region, that's already a sign of growth. However, we must now aim for the next level, which is winning titles in Africa. South Africa and Zambia have already done so in the AFCON. Let's see which team from our region will be the first to do it in CHAN. The talent is there, and with time, the allocation of more resources, and improvements in the development process, I believe it will become a reality.
Scoop
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
We Call For Peaceful And Political Settlement To The Crisis In The Republic Of Togo
Again, the people of Togo are on the streets across the country to protest against their government. As a result, protesters are now calling for President Faure Gnassingbe to resign over what the Togolese people say, his failed leadership in the West African nation. For the past twenty years, the world, particularly African leaders have watched Togo under the leadership of President Faure Gnassingbe. Recent changes in the national Constitution is what has ignited the current situation, which is dangerously degenerating. The New African Charter International (NACI) is worried about this instability in Togo and the earlier the international community, through the United Nations, intervene to save the situation is the better. We want the world to know that the situation in Togo cannot be addressed through pouring more fuel on the ground, but through peaceful dialogue and comprehensive political settlement amongst the Togolese people. It is our view that an eye for an eye, and a tit for tat option will serve no purpose in the situation in Togo, but only brings destruction, which is not good for Africa. We are concerned also about the deteriorating human rights and the destruction taking place in Togo since this protest, which began on June 26th, 2025. We call on all parties to not allow the situation to worsen because it's only the Togolese people themselves who will have to incur the loss. Peace and political settlement must be allowed to give expression so that Togo will not slide into bitter civil conflict. The New African Charter International cannot afford to see more deaths in the streets of Lome and other major towns that are witnessing the current protests. We encourage protesters to now seek peaceful end to their action, while the government must take serious step to address fairly the grievances of the protesters. There should be a clear road map to save Togo and the Togolese people. The international community through the United Nations must wake from the slumber. The New African Charter International (NACI) is an African-based advocacy movement that is dedicated to peace, stability, progress, development and prosperity, and unity and sovereignty of the African continent. The new Africa is not the old, oppressive, black neo-colonial, retrogressive, environmentally-degrading and subservient Africa. The new Africa is the one in which leaders are ready, willing and able to harness the continent's rich and abundant mineral wealth and natural resources for the upliftment of Africans, both at home and abroad. The new Africa is the one in which courageous leaders stand by their people, and are willing to defend, in word and in deed, human rights and freedoms of African people, to true independence and sovereignty. The new Africa abhors leaders who fuel fear or division among their people; and seeks leaders who can unite all of Africa, for an Africa that serves Africans both at home and abroad. God bless Africa!
IOL News
27-06-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
SA's Niedermayr and Nigeria's Ukah size each other up at PFL Africa roadshow in DRC
READY FOR BATTLE Juliet Ukah and Ceileigh Niedermayr set the tone for an exciting event in Cape Town, South Africa when they showcased their skills for fans during a PFL Africa Road Show and open workout in Kinshasa, DRC this week. Picture: PFL Image: PFL African MMA stars Ceileigh Niedermayr and Juliet Ukah had their first opportunity to size each other up ahead of their showcase Women's Strawweight bout in Cape Town next month. South Africa's Niedermayr and Nigeria's Ukah will make history as the first ladies to compete in the debut event of the inaugural PFL Africa season, set to take place on July 19th at Grand West Casino and Entertainment World in the Mother City, South Africa. This week, in Kinshasa, DRC, the Professional Fighters League had an open workout as part of a roadshow in the lead-up to the big show at the foot of Africa. There, in front of the media and hundreds of excited MMA fans, Ukah and Niedermayr showcased their skills and ran through some training drills before facing off for the first time ahead of their highly anticipated showdown. Ukah Excited for PFL Africa Debut: Aims to Shine in Fight Against Ceileigh 'I'm very happy to be on the first PFL Africa card, and my fight with Ceileigh is going to be an exciting one. We're going to be representing the two biggest MMA nations in Africa, and we want to help put African MMA in the global spotlight,' said the unbeaten Ukah, who is on a six-fight winning streak that includes two wins in the Extreme Fighting Championship, the leading African-based MMA promotion. 'Compared to her, I think I'm the more experienced fighter and the better striker, so I'm comfortable wherever the fight goes. I expect to get the finish, but I don't mind going to a third round if needed,' added Ukah who has gone to decision in five fights. Niedermayr Prepares for Historic PFL Africa Women's Fight Fellow EFC fighter and South Africa's Niedermayr, who has also previously competed at UAE Warriors and Fury Challenger Series (USA), is revelling in the moment as she looks to shine in one of the biggest MMA brands on the globe. 'It's truly an honour to be part of the first-ever PFL Africa women's fight. This fight camp isn't just about preparing for my next opponent — it's a reflection of my lifelong dedication to martial arts. I'm always pushing myself to grow, to evolve, and to become the best fighter I can be,' said Niedermayr who will be hungry to build a good innings after failing to string together a group of wins with 3 losses and two wins. (w,l,w,l,w) 'On fight night, I'm bringing a new level of 'Smiley Savagery' to the SmartCage. I have a lot of respect for Juliet as a fighter, and I welcome the chance to test myself against her, but I don't think she's ever faced anyone like me. I'm expecting an exciting, high-level battle — and I'm ready for it.' The inaugural PFL Africa Tournament will feature eight-man brackets in each weight class, starting with the Heavyweight and Bantamweight divisions next month. In total, 32 fighters representing 15 African nations will compete across the four PFL Africa divisions in 2025 as the league embarks on a continent-wide journey to crown the first-ever PFL Africa Champions. PFL Africa Tournament: Nkosi Ndebele vs. Mahmoud Atef in Historic Bantamweight Semifinal Next month's PFL Africa Tournament event will be headlined by South Africa's Nkosi Ndebele (8-3), who will face Egypt's rising contender Mahmoud Atef (5-2) in a thrilling Bantamweight Semifinal. The arrival of the PFL will be a major boost for African MMA, as the global Mixed Martial Arts promotion is quickly becoming as popular as the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Grand West Casino and Entertainment World's Grand Arena will make history as it will become the first venue in Africa to host a major international MMA show. The inaugural PFL Africa tournament will also set the scene and precede the PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai card, bringing the world's best MMA talent to Africa. Headlining the Champions Series event will be Johnny Eblen, who aims to remain undefeated and keep his Middleweight title when he faces Spain's Costello Van Steenis. In the co-main event, Dakota Ditcheva will face Sumiko Inaba in a Flyweight clash. In July 2024, the PFL announced its third international league, PFL Africa, after PFL Europe and PFL MENA. Former UFC Heavyweight and current global combat superstar, Cameroon's Francis Ngannou, is the acting chairman of the league and will also play a pivotal ambassadorial role in further growing the Professional Fighters League in the Motherland and finding and developing the next generation of African champions.
