Planet Sport Football Africa

On this week's show we catch up with the opening games in qualifying for the 2019 AFCON. Liberia made a losing start, and we've been speaking to their coach James Debbah, a legend of the Lone Star. Debbah is Liberia's all-time top goalscorer and played alongside George Weah in the team's golden era. Also with the Fifa Confederations Cup beginning this weekend in Russia, with Cameroon representing Africa, we ask how significant this tournament is.

On this week's show we speak to Paul Put, the Belgian coach who took Burkina Faso to the final of the 2013 AFCON and is currently with USM Alger in Algeria's premier league, where he says things are not easy. We talk about Zambia's disappointing quarter-final exit at the Under-20 World Cup, and we have your comments on Arsene Wenger's decision to stay on as Arsenal manager. Finally Stuart highlights some of the disappointing African players in the recently-ended EPL.

On this week's show we speak to an African based in Austria, Nigeria's Olarenwaju Kayode, who plays for Austria Vienna, and finished as top scorer in the just ended season. Kayode tells us about the standard of football in Austria. Also we speak to Ghana international striker David Accam, who plays for Chicago Fire in the US Major League Soccer, and Stuart gives us his top 10 African players in the EPL this just-ended season.

On this week's show we look back at the just-ended EPL season with our analysis on the highs and lows, plus some fascinating statistics on where the title was won and lost, and which players made the difference for their clubs. Also we have the second part of our interview with Nigeria and Watford striker Isaac Success, who tells us how life in the EPL compares with life in Spain, where he played for Malaga.

On this week's show we analyse the good news that it's now official that the FIFA World Cup will have nine African teams when the tournament expands from 32 teams to 48 from 2026 onwards. Will this increase the chances of Africa finally winning the World Cup? We have an interview with Nigeria and Watford striker Isaac Success, on his first season at the EPL club. And with Chelsea and Tottenham taking the top two places in the EPL, we reflect on their seasons.

On this week's show we focus on the 2017 CAF Champions League, with the group stage underway this weekend. We look at who might make it the quarter-finals. As the story of Ghanaian Sulley Muntari recieving racist abuse in Italy has dominated the headlines in African football, we ask if Fifa is doing enough to combat racism, and we hear from fans in Ghana. Also analysis on the EPL and we look at the story that the format for penalty shootouts might change.

On this week's show we speak to Leicester City's Nigerian midfielder Wilfred Ndidi on his football and his faith. Ndidi, who's only 20, has had a great debut season with the Foxes. Ndidi tells us about the African players at Leicester and tells us who he thinks is the funniest. We have your thoughts on who's been the best African in the EPL this season, and we assess the race to become English champions, and we have a word on Sunderland, the first team to be relegated this season, with several Africans in their squad.

On this week's show we find out about football in the Central African Republic, one of Africa's poorest nations, and a country recovering from war. Despite the challenges in the country, the CAR has come close to a first ever qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations and defender Franklin Anzite is dreaming of making it to the 2019 Nations Cup. And as Chelsea's N'golo Kante took the English PFA Player of the Year award, and Senegal's Sadio Mane was the only African in the team of the year, Stuart assesses the African presence in the English Premier League this season.

On this week's show we talk to Nigeria and Arsenal forward Alex Iwobi on the problems at the club. The Gunners have only three wins in nine league games, and chances of a top-four finish look slim. Has Iwobi heard anything about the future of manager Arsene Wenger? Surprises in the CAF Confederation Cup, as teams from Swaziland, Uganda and Gabon reach the expanded group stage – is this a sign that the new format will be a success? And as Ivory Coast and Chelsea legend Didier Drogba becomes the first player-owner in football history, moving to US second-tier club Phoenix Rising, we get Stuart's thoughts on the surprise move.

On this week's show we discuss the tension between flair and tactics in football. Flair is fine, but does it always bring results? We hear from three international players known for their amazing skills on the pitch, Ghana’s1978 African Footballer of the Year Abdul Razak, Nigeria’s Jay Jay Okocha and the 2007 Fifa World Footballer of the Year, the Brazilian midfielder, Kaka. And listeners share their reactions to Fifa’s proposal to increase the number of African teams in the World Cup from 5 to 9 from 2026.

On this week's show we hear from Cameroon coach Hugo Broos on the Indomitable Lions’ memorable win at AFCON 2017 and their plans for the Confederations Cup in Russia in June. 1978 African Footballer of the Year Abdul Razak recalls Ghana’s win at the 1978 Cup of Nations when he was crowned “Golden Boy” for his golden goal against Algeria and Stuart Weir continues his series on legends of African football in the English Premier League as he reviews the career of the Ivorian, Kolo Touré. And we reflect on Fifa’s proposal to increase the number of African teams in the World Cup finals from five to nine from 2026.

On this week's show we focus on positive developments in Sierra Leone, as better times could be ahead. Also we speak to Nigera midfielder John Ogu, who tells us how things are at his club in Israel. We look at the race for promotion to the EPL, with Newcastle United still on top of the Championship, and several African players in with a chance of going up. And in a fascinating piece of history, Stuart tells about South African player Albert Johanneson, the man seen as the very first of the African players in England.

On this week's show we focus on the CAF Champions League, with the 16 places in the expanded group stage having been decided. Only one West African team made it – why is that? Giants TP Mazembe were knocked out, we speak to fans of the club. Also your comments on the new CAF president Ahmad from Madagascar, and we go to the EPL, where managers at struggling clubs continue to be shown no mercy.

On this week's show we look at the CAF elections as Ahmad Ahmad of Madagascar deposes Issa Hayatou as leader of African football. Good times for Zambia as they host and win the U20 AFCON. Also we focus on head injuries in football – unfortunate incidents that happen from time to time. We speak to Gambian defender Pa Modou Jagne who suffered a head injury with his Swiss club and took six months to recover. And we review the UEFA Champions League results as Leicester City defy their low position in the English Premier League to secure a place in the Quarter Finals.

On this week's show we talk to Fifa president Gianni Infantino, and hear about his vision for African football. Will Infantino be a friend of Africa, as his predecessor Sepp Blatter was? And with International Women's Day this week we also hear from Fifa Secretary General Fatma Samoura on developing football for women in Africa. Plus listeners' thoughts on the upcoming Caf elections, the second part of Stuart's look at the Africans playing in China, and we ask if Arsene Wenger will stay at Arsenal.

On this week's show we focus on the upcoming elections for the position of president of the Confederation of African Football. Issa Hayatou has been in charge since 1988, but Madagascar's Ahmad Ahmad will challenge Hayatou and looks to be a serious challenger. Everton and DR Congo striker Yannick Bolasie tells us about the frustrations of his long-term injury. We look at African players on China, with a closer look at who they are playing for, and European analyst Stuart Weir tells us that Leicester's decision to fire manager Claudio Ranieri is understandable, despite the outcry.

We talk to Nigeria striker Odion Ighalo in China on his transfer in January to Chinese Super League side Changchun Yatai. The former Watford strike talks openly about his reasons for the move which he claims is more to do with having playing time than money. Analyst Solomon Ashoms assesses the moves of several African players to the CSL and European expert Stuart Weir reviews the performances of African players in this week's UEFA Champions League matches.

On this week's show we revisit the debate as to whether foreign coaches are better than local coaches. Cameroon won the AFCON with Belgian coach Hugo Broos, but there are some very talented African coaches around, including Senegal's Aliou Cisse – we hear from Cisse. In Ghana this is a hot issue, as Avram Grant has left the Black Stars. We ask fans if they want another foreigner to take over. In Europe as Germany's Bundesliga approves the use of video assistant referees for next season, we ask how much technology will affect world football? And listeners share their hopes for the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.

This week we have special AFCON review edition of the show as Cameroon surprised many by winning a fifth African title, much to the delight of their fans. Guinea Bissau coach Baciro Cande says he wants the team to move forward after their debut appearance at the tournament. And, amazingly, a Ghanaian sports journalist tells us that many Black Stars fans were happy that their team failed to reach the final. BBC journalist Farayi Mungazi shares his reflections on the tournament and we hear from Isha Johansen, owner of Sierra Leonean side FC Johansen, who host FUS Rabat on Saturday in the CAF Champions League.

This week's show comes to you from the AFCON in Gabon, with Cameroon playing Egypt in Sunday's final. Also we talk about handling defeat. There can only be one winner at the AFCON, so the other 15 teams are having to handle various levels of disappointment, as expectations seem to be high in football these days. We speak to former Zambia international Jacob Mulenga. And lots of points dropped at the top in the English Premier League, and transfer deadline day saw Gambian winger Modou Barrow moving to Leeds United – we ask if it's a good move?