Planet Sport Football Africa

This week, with Brazil exiting the World Cup in spectacular fashion and criticised for changing their way of playing to a European style, we ask if African teams can learn something. We ask why African referees are not given the finals of major global tournaments to officiate, and we meet some Ethiopian fans who have travelled to Brazil to watch the World Cup.

For the first time, two African teams reached the second round of the World Cup, but both Nigeria and Algeria have been knocked out at that stage and hence have failed to reach the quarter-finals. So Cameroon, Senegal and Ghana remain the only three teams to have got to the quarter-finals of the World Cup. What do you think of the overall performance of Africa at this tournament?

Steve Vickers, Solomon Ashoms and Stuart Weir in Rio discuss the progress of African teams at the World Cup in Brazil as Nigeria and Algeria progress to the Round of 16.

Steve Vickers presents the show from Rio de Janeiro with analysts Solomon Izang Ashoms and Stuart Weir. They assess the performances of the five African teams at the World Cup, meet an Ivory Coast fan and hear from Silas Ngong, chaplain to the Cameroon side.

Steve Vickers presents this week's show from the Fans Zone on Copacabana Beach after watching Brazil's opening 3-1 win over Croatia with joyous 20,000 fans. Solomon Ashoms assesses the chances of the five African nations and we talk to people in Zimbabwe who are trying to avoid watching the World Cup.

We talk to Nigeria's former star Jay Jay Okocha and current hope Peter Odemwingie about the Super Eagles' hopes for the 2014 World Cup and we ask fans in Zimbabwe what they are looking forward to about the World Cup?

We consider the hopes and chances of the Indomitable Lions and Black Stars at the World Cup finals in Brazil and visit the Maracana Stadium in Rio to find out how recycling has been incorporated into it's design.

Steve Vickers is at African broadcaster SuperSport's World Cup launch party in Durban to talk to former Bafana Bafana star Shaun Bartlett and SuperSport anchor Robert Marawa about Africa's chances at the upcoming World Cup in Brazil. A Brazilian music band completes the atmosphere at the venue beside the Indian Ocean.

We discuss Luis Suarez' award of Player of the Year the English Football Writers' Association and ask whether Yaya Toure should have won the title instead? Analysts Solomon Izang Ashoms in Johannesburg and Stuart Weir in England share their thoughts and we hear from football fans in Zimbabwe.

We talk to Super Eagles captain and goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama to find out the mood in the camp as Nigeria prepare for the 2014 World Cup. And we discuss age cheating as CAF ban The Gambia from all competition for two years after playing over-age players in their Under 20 team.

We talk to Algeria player Carl Medjani to find out about the team's hopes for the World Cup and we discuss which African player is likely to be an English Premier League title winner.

This week we ask whether we need more former players to be involved in administration in African football? We hear from fans and a former player in Kenya and discuss the issue with African correspondent Solomon Izang Ashoms and European football expert, Stuart Weir.

We hear how football unifies people in Ivory Coast and discuss whether the Elephants' squad is too old to make progress at the World Cup. And we ask if Demba Ba's view that a move to another team would be better than staying at Chelsea?

For years there have been allegations of dirty tricks when visiting teams are mistreated apparently in order to give the home team an advantage. The chairman of a Bulawayo team shares his experiences. We discuss the issue and ask why it happens in a continent which generally is so hospitable.

We discuss North Africa's dominance of this year's CAF Champions League, whether having wives and girlfriends with teams at the World Cup is a positive addition and with the race for the English Premier League title hotting up which of the Toure brothers, Yaya at Manchester City or Kolo at Liverpool, is most likely to win the title.

We discuss whether Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi will keep his job for the 2014 World Cup and Liverpool and England legend John Barnes shares his advice for emerging young players.

Liverpool and England legend John Barnes shares his thoughts on why an African nation has yet to win the World Cup and what needs to be done for that to happen.

We review the latest matches in the CAF Champions League and assess the differing fortunes of African defenders in the English Premier League. With the World Cup just three months away we visit the Maracana Stadium in Rio where the final will be played. And we discuss this week's Big Question: Is the South African Premier League good for African football? Tempted by high salaries many of Africa's top players head for the SAPL but end up sitting on the bench and missing game time. We ask for your thoughts on the subject.

With the World Cup less than 100 days away we consider the differing fortunes of the five African teams who have reached the finals after Wednesday's friendly matches. We review the unfolding CAF Champions League and Confederations Cup competitions and reflect on Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho's apparent criticism of striker Samuel Eto'o.

Two months ago a football fan in Kenya killed himself when his team Manchester United lost to Newcastle. How much do you love your team, how do you react when they win or lose and do we take football too seriously? We talk to fans in Mombasa and hear from former England striker, Cyrille Regis.