With 8 months to the start of the tournament, most conversations surrounding the event have been about infrastructure and facilities and there have been concrete steps in that direction.

The Accra Sports Stadium is currently being refurbished and there are plans to put the El-Wak Stadium and the Achimota School Park in good shape for the competition but until last Friday’s official launch of the tournament in Accra, not a lot had been said in relation to publicity.

Madam Prempeh stated what would be done to create the needed buzz of the event.

“In order to whip up interest before, during and hopefully after the tournament, the LOC will be engaging the general public in various activities including an all-women jama competition, quizzes, exhibitions, quizzes etc.

In due time, we will roll out some of our projects. We will soon unveil our mascot and our theme song.”

The theme song for the tournament will be done by singer Wiyaala, Grace Ashie and Black Stars captain, Asamoah Gyan.

The 2018 Women’s African Cup of Nations will serve as qualifiers for the 2019 World Cup in France and the top three teams from competition will represent the continent.

The competition runs from November 17 to December 1, 2018.

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By: Nathan Quao/citifmonline.com/Ghan

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The 25-year old fended off competition from Liverpool teammate and Senegal international Sadio Mane who finished 2^nd and Gabon and Borussia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who finished 3rd.

He succeeds Leicester and Algeria star Riyad Mahrez who won the award in 2016.

Salah has had a stellar 2017 in which he helped Egypt qualify for their first World Cup in 28 years, months after leading them to the Africa Cup of Nations final which they lost narrowly to Cameroon.

He has also scored 23 goals in 29 appearances in all competitions since joining Liverpool last summer.

The former Chelsea and Roma star completes a hattrick of awards after being named BBC African Footballer of Year and Arab Player of the Year 2017.

Other Awards:

Platinum Award

Nana Akufo-Addo (President, Republic of Ghana)

Platinum Award

George Weah (President-Elect, Liberia)

CAF Legends Award

Ibrahim Sunday (Ghana & Asante Kotoko)

Football Leader of the Year

Yahya Ahmed (Mauritania)

Club of the Year

Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco)

Women’s National Team of the Year

Bayana Bayana (South Africa)

Coach of the Year

Hector Cuper (Egypt)

Youth Player of the Year

Patson Daka (Zambia)

Women’s Player of the Year

Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria)

The award was hosted by Chelsea and Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba and South African female sports broadcaster Carol Tsabalala and assisted by Hollywood couple Boris Kodjoe and wife Nicole Ari Parker.

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By: sport.citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The usage of the latest technology was okayed by the CAF Referees’ Committee at its meeting on Monday, 27 November 2017 in Cairo, Egypt.

The experimentation of the VAR technology will commence from the quarter finals stage of next year’s tournament scheduled for 13 January to 4 February in the Moroccan cities of Casablanca, Marrakech, Tangiers and Agadir.

African referees shortlisted for FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 and with previous training in VAR will be called upon for the tournament designed exclusively for footballers playing in their domestic leagues.

In his opening remarks at the first meeting of the reconstituted committee, Suleiman Waberi, who chairs the committee, enlightened members on the importance to make collective decisions to improve officiating on the continent.

“Today we are going to make some very important decisions that will be pivotal for the future of refereeing in Africa. We will launch major projects to meet the challenges ahead.

The world expects a lot from the new CAF and particularly from this reconstituted Referees Committee to make significant changes to meet the expectations of our clubs and Member Associations to silence the critics of refereeing in Africa and be at par with other Confederations,” Waberi said.

Among decisions taken was the obligation for all Member Associations to have a functional Refereeing Department.

Also, the committee made up of former international referees, now experienced instructors, have been assigned specific geographical zones areas to ensure the implementation of the decisions taken by the Committee and the permanent monitoring of referees on the CAF lists.

In addition, the CAF Refereeing Department will soon be equipped with a video unit and also establish a performance rating system for referees.

The committee also adopted a four-year (2017-2021) action plan to be submitted to the CAF Executive Committee, including the conclusion a working group on the revision of allowances and the mode of payment for referees designated in CAF competitions.

The latter is one of the priorities enacted by CAF President Ahmad. This working group is composed of the president of the Referees Committee, CAF General Secretary and representatives from Finance and IT divisions, and the Refereeing Department.

The Committee also approved the concept of an open day for media at major CAF competitions (AFCON, CHAN, Women’s AFCON) for accredited media to acquaint themselves with events in the world of refereeing.

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Source: CAF

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Fahmy, 34, a passionate football lover, is a holder of a FIFA Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport, where he undertook courses on the campuses of the Universities of Neuchâtel in Switzerland, Bocconi in Italy and De Montfort in the United Kingdom.

Currently serving with France-based Lagardère Sports as Director of Operations for Africa, he previously worked with the CAF Competitions Division between 2007 and 2015. Prior to his departure in August 2015, he was the Tournament Director for the flagship competition, Africa Cup of Nations.

Two Deputy General Secretaries have also been appointed under the same conditions in conformity with the statutes.

Deputy General Secretary in charge of Development and Competitions is Ghanaian Anthony Baffoe. Born in Germany, the 52-year old was capped 25 times by Ghana between 1991 and 1994, and also captained the Black Stars for the final match of the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal against Cote d’Ivoire, which the latter won 11-10 on penalties.

After a playing that started from Germany, through France to Hong Kong (Asia) and terminating in Venezuela (South America), he ventured into event management and also launching a cause for the protection of the right of footballers in his native Ghana. Holder of a CAF License ‘A’ Coaching Certificate, he has attended various FIFA training programs in Administration, and doubles as a FIFA Instructor in Administration and Management.

Essadik Alaoui has also been appointed Deputy General Secretary in charge of Administration and Finance. The 50-year-old Moroccan is a polyglot like Fahmy and Baffoe. He initially studied English Literature, before moving towards a curriculum in sport.
A graduate of the Moulay Rachid National Sports Institute in Morocco, he also studied Sports Management at the University of Indiana in the United States of America. A good part of his professional career has been with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. In 2014, he was the director of the FIFA Club World Cup tournament staged in Morocco.

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CAF

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Earlier this week, Egyptian officials said they were pulling out of the tournament for African players based in their domestic leagues because of a timing clash.

“We sent an official reply to Caf that we will not be able to play CHAN,” said Egypt FA (EFA) executive director Tharwat Sweilam.

Caf says it has not received any correspondence from the EFA ahead of January’s finals.

“Nothing official (has been) received from the EFA in that regard,” a Caf spokeperson told BBC Sport on Tuesday.

At a meeting in Lagos earlier this month, the African body’s Emergency Committee re-installed Egypt into the CHAN after Morocco had been designated as the tournament’s new hosts.

The Moroccans, who replaced Kenya following preparation delays in the East African nation, had knocked the Egyptians out of qualifying in August.

However, Sweilam indicated that the EFA is not prepared to halt the Egyptian league – which is one of Africa’s strongest – for the CHAN.

“We cannot stop the Premier League, especially as the tournament is being played outside the Fifa international calendar,” he explained.

Egypt has never played in the 16-team CHAN, whose fifth edition is scheduled to take place in four Moroccan cities – Agadir, Casablanca, Marrakech and Tangier – from 12 January to 4 February 2018.

By contrast, Egypt’s full international side is the continent’s most successful – having won a record seven Africa Cup of Nations titles.

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Source: BBC

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Namely, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia and Morocco.

At its meeting on September 23, 2017, CAF Executive Committee decided to complete the process of selecting a new host country for the tournament scheduled for January 2018, within 15 days. After Kenya, the initial host, failed to meet the requirements.

Total CHAN is a competition that brings together 16 national teams made up of players selected in their national championships. The 5th edition is to be held in 2018.

Source: CAF Online

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His proclamation follows CAF’s decision to strip Kenya, the original hosts, of the rights following a series of delays reported by the inspection team.

Despite political instability being stated as one of the reasons that informed CAF’s decision, CAF First Vice President Kwesi Nyantakyi has debunked the claims and has revealed the unready state of infrastructure forced CAF to take the decision.

On Saturday, a bidding process was opened immediately after the decision was taken.

Isaac Asiamah believes that after successfully hosting the 2017 Wafu competition Ghana is ready to do more by attempting to host 15 other countries that have qualified for the CHAN tournament.

“Ghana stands ready to host all CAF tournaments. We hosted CAN 2008 and it was fantastic. The whole world witnessed it”, he told Citi Fm’s Joseph Ackon Mensah who caught up with him after the 2017 WAFU Cup finals.

This will be the second time Kenya will lose the hosting rights to a competition after being stripped of the 1996 African Cup of Nations which was eventually handed to South Africa.

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By: Benjamin Nketsia/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The Black Stars B team put up a patchy performance and needed a 95th minute penalty converted by Vincent Atingah to win the match after Matarr Ceesay was adjudged to have handled the ball inside the box.

The Gambian Football Federation released a statement hours after the game ended, and it highlighted their displeasure at the result.

“The Gambia Football Federation wishes to express our disappointment in the strongest possible
terms in the manner in which the Ghana Vs The Gambia match was decided.

A non-existent penalty robbed the Scorpions and secured Ghana a place in the group stages of the competition.

In this regard, the GFF wish to condemn the abhorrent officiating by the Burkinabe referee, Boukari

Ouedraogo, who after giving several contentious decisions against our team and with the game heading to the penalty kicks and in the 99th minute, awarded a non-existent penalty to the home side.

This decision by the referee prompted a Ghanaian news site, Joy Online, to write in its post-match report:

“With 5 minutes of time added on and the game heading for the lotteries of penalty, a single kick from the spot was rather used to decide the game.

Referee adjudged The Gambia defender to have handled theball in the box, a decision which is even being disputed by the [Ghanaian] supporters.”

Considering the fact that this is the second consecutive time that we were robbed in broad daylight in a WAFU competition, the GFF therefore, shall formerly protest to WAFU and CAF for necessary action.

We may also consider our participation in future WAFU competitions unless justice is seen to be done.

In conclusion therefore, the GFF would wish to commend the spirited performance of the Scorpions in keeping the adversary at bay. We also wish to commend the efforts of the Head Coach Omar K. Sise, the Technical Team, the Players and the entire delegation.” the statement read.

Head Coach of the Scorpions Omar Sise expressed disgust at the decision taken by Burkinabe referee Boukari Ouedraogo when he spoke to the press following the encounter.

“I am sorry for Africa,so sorry for African football,an upset Sise yelled.

“The time was up but he gave away a penalty.

“Shame of them and shame on African football,this is why we don’t perform at the World Cup.

“Ghana did not win this game because they deserve to but because it was handed to them by the referee.

“Everyone watched the game and the Ghanaian citizens that believe in God know that this was no penalty and time had run out.

“They have advantage of playing at home,let them go,”he raged as he walked off.

Ghana however progress to the Group stage of the competition while The Gambia will head home as they put their case together.

By:Benjamin Nketsia/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Speaking on a trip to Burkina Faso, the CAF President gave his clearest indication yet that Cameroon could be stripped of hosting rights for the newly extended event.

The 2019 Nations Cup will feature 24 teams instead of 16 and president Ahmad confirmed an inspection team will visit Cameroon later this month.

“Cameroon will have to work to convince CAF on its ability to host the event,” Ahmad said.

“We will send the experts and we will decide at the end of their inspection mission” he added.

On Friday, Cameroon government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary revealed details of the eight-day inspection visit which will begin on 20 August and played down fears of sanctions if preparations were deemed to be behind schedule.

But Ahmad says CAF will put much weight behind the inspection team’s report.

“We have decided that it is no longer the CAF Executive Committee who will inspect the countries selected for the organization of the AFCON.

“It is now experts who will do it and CAF will decide based on their report,” Ahmad said.

President Ahmad also announced that a symposium for women’s football will take place in Morocco in 2018.

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Source: BBC

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Amaju Pinnick believes the African game can only benefit, even if the tournament may suffer early on.

“At the beginning, you will see some problems but later it will start building up to the quality people know it for,” the Nigerian told BBC Sport.

“Trust me – it is not going to reduce the quality.”

Last week, Caf chose to both expand the Nations Cup – by an additional eight teams – and move its timing from January/February to June/July.

Pinnick, who presides over Caf’s Nations Cup Organising Committee, believes African football will be ‘redefined’ as a result of the changes, citing benefits with regard to business, infrastructure and the sport itself.

He says African companies are excited about the changes, that African players will become more prized and that more countries will benefit from new and/or reconstructed stadiums.

Concerns over the quality of football aside, there are also questions about how many African countries have the capacity to actually stage a 24-team Nations Cup.

The Caf executive committee member believes ’10-12′ countries could host on their own right now, but he also introduced the concept of ‘regionalising.’

“We are trying to encourage co-hosting and regionalising,” said the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president in a wide-ranging interview.

“If Nigeria and Ghana were to put up a bid for example, I would also advocate that they accommodate (neighbours) Togo and Benin. Nobody is pushing that for now but I am just giving an example of the possibility.”

In the meantime, the next Nations Cup hosts – Cameroon – must deliver a finals, in 2019, for 24 teams despite having bid for a 16-team event.

Last week, the country denied reports it was behind schedule but Pinnick is not unduly concerned.

“Cameroon is a major footballing nation and I believe they are going to be able to do it,” he said. “They are very eager and excited.”

Firstly, the format for qualifying for the 2019 Nations Cup – which has already started – needs to be changed.

Caf will meet in Morocco later this week to begin talks on how that process will change, with the next qualifiers set for next March.

The switch of timing, meanwhile, has been broadly welcomed – with both African players and agents set to benefit given the Nations Cup will no longer clash with the middle of a European season.

“You will now starting seeing big money for African players – massive transfers because they are now in line with the footballer calendar,” said Pinnick.

Nonetheless, any footballer in a team that qualifies for Nations Cups either side of a World Cup could find himself playing three extended seasons in a row.

“I don’t think there is any major concern,” argued Pinnick.

“I called nine Nigeria internationals (to check) and they said it was not an issue. I also asked my marketing agent who called some big African names in the Premier League and they said the same thing.”

The argument of adverse weather – whether being too host in the North, too rainy in the West or too cold the Southern Africa – was regularly used by the previous Caf regime, under Issa Hayatou, as a reason to not move the timing.

Pinnick believes infrastructural improvements can help solve some of the issues.

“If you have a world-class pitch, you won’t bother about rain because within minutes it will drain away,” he said.

Pinnick, who says many companies have backed the expansion, does not believe the Nations Cup will increase in size again – with any potential increase likely to feature over half the teams on the continent.

“Anything can happen but I want to believe that this is where it should end.”

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Source: BBC

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