Planet Sport Football Africa

This week we talk to Ghana great Andre “Dede” Ayew, who’s now 35 and the Black Stars’ most-capped player.Dede tell us about his longevity in his career.Also we go down memory lane and talk about Ayew’s legendary father Abedi Pele, three-time African Footballer of the Year in the 1990s.Plus Stuart on the dramatic Merseyside derby.

This week we to Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, who was linked to Arsenal and Chelsea ahead of this season, but ended up at Galatasaray in Turkey. Osimhen tells us about his targets for the Super Eagles under new coach Eric Chelle.We have lots on the just-ended transfer window, with Zimbabwean Marshal Munetsi joining Wolves. Also we look at transfer spending in Africa, as South African club Mamelodi Sundowns were Africa’s biggest spenders on transfers in 2024.And more on the AFCON draw as we hear from Zambia and Botswana.

This week we analyse the draw for the 2025 AFCON, with Cameroon v Cote d’Ivoire among the appetising match-ups in the group stage, and with three Southern African teams in Group B – South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe, along with seven-time champions Egypt.Also we talk about football in Burundi, as we hear from Burundi international Youssouf Ndayishimiye, who has been outstanding for French club Nice this season.And lots on the EPL from Stuart, who also looks at some of the most bizarre yellow cards ever.

This week we catch up on the CAF Champions League, with South Africa’s Orlando Pirates impressing in the group stage, while TP Mazembe, Yanga and Raja Casablanca all missed out on the quarter-finals.Also we speak to two France-based players turning out for Le Havre, Egypt international striker Ahmed Hassan, who’s hoping for a place in the Pharaohs' AFCON squad, and Emmanuel Sabbi, who was born in Italy to Ghanaian parents and represents the USA, where he grew up.And Stuart on the EPL and the Uefa Champions League and on Erling Haaland’s new mega-contract with Manchester City.

This week we talk about the surprise decision to delay the 2024 African Nations Championship to August, just 18 days before it was due to kick off in East Africa.Also we dig into one of the longest-running debates in African football – whether national teams are better off with local coaches or foreign coaches.While local coaches like Walid Regragui with Morocco and the late Stephen Keshi with Nigeria and Togo did great things, we still have European coaches coming in to the continent and usually receiving better treatment than local coaches.We speak to Emerse Fae, who won the AFCON last year with Cote d’Ivoire.And we have Stuart on the EPL, as Arsenal narrow the gap on Liverpool.

This week we catch up on the Caf Champions League, as holders Al Ahly of Egypt saw their 27-match unbeaten run coming to an end.Also, this week marked the 15th anniversary of one of the most dreadful incidents in the history of African football – the attack on the Togo team bus ahead of the 2010 AFCON in Angola, as shootings left two members of the Togo delegation dead and 10 others injured. Emmanuel Adebayor reflects on the incident.And we have listeners’ views on Manchester United and Stuart reflects on United’s improved performance against Liverpool.

This week we speak to one of the best female goalkeepers in the world, Nigeria’s Chiamaka Nnadozie, who won the African Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award for the second successive year last month.She tells us about her journey to Europe, to Paris FC. Also we take a look at the calendar for 2025 in African football, with a busy year ahead, and we have Stuart with the EPL latest, and a look at whether Man United coach Reuben Amorim should change his formation.

This week we look back at 2024 in African football, with a memorable edition of the AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire, a good football tournament at the Olympics for the men, but disappointing for the women.We spoke to many African football stars, including Emmanuel Adebayor, the 2008 African Footballer of the Year, shared the story of how he was unable to walk until he was five, and how a visit to a church in Ghana led to him starting to walk, and how it was the sight of a football that saw him spring up to his feet.Also Stuart on the EPL, with Marcus Rashford wanting to leave Manchester United.

This week we talk about Nigeria's Ademola Lookman, winner of the 2024 African Footballer of the Year award.Also we have an interview with Benin coach Gernot Rohr, the German who coached Nigeria from 2016 to 2021, and who has qualified Benin for the 2025 AFCON.And we have Stuart on Ahmad Diallo’s journey to success at Manchester United.

This week we talk about Morocco being confirmed as co-hosts of the 2030 Fifa World Cup.We analyse the draw for the Fifa Club World Cup, with some big games for the four African teams to look forward to.We catch up on the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup, and Stuart explains the significance of sporting director Dan Ashworth leaving Manchester United.

This week we talk about the stadium tragedy in Guinea, with at least 56 people killed in a crush at a match.We look ahead to Matchday 2 of the CAF Champions League, and with Mohamed Salah having one of his best seasons ever with Liverpool, we look at his future at the club beyond this season, with no new contract for the Egyptian as yet.Also we speak to one of Nigeria's most experienced players in European football Anthony Ujah, now based in Bulgaria. Ujah gives us insights into the various pressures that players face.Plus Stuart on the EPL title race.

This week we focus on the Caf Champions League, as the group stage got underway on Tuesday with an easy win for record 12-time champions Al Ahly of Egypt.Also we speak to Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong, on life at Saudi club Al-Kholood his Troost-Ekong foundation in Nigeria, and the tough road ahead for the Super Eagles in 2026 World Cup qualifying.Also Stuart looks at possible reasons for Man City’s crisis.

This week we catch up on the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, as Ghana and Guinea failed to make it, Botswana qualified for only the second time, Tunisia progressed but with a stuttering campaign, and Morocco did it in style.Also we have an interview with Nigeria midfielder Frank Onyeka, who’s on loan from Brentford to German side Augsburg. He tells us about life in the Bundesliga.And Stuart tells us about huge attendances in the English Championship.

This week we talk about the decisive few days in African football as the last two rounds of qualifiers for the 2025 AFCON are on.Senegal have already qualified, and we speak to their football federation president Augustin Senghor on the decision to part ways with the team’s most successful coach, Aliou Cisse.Also we talk about Amad Diallo’s great recent form with Manchester United, and whether the Ivorian can secure a place in the United starting line-up.And we have Stuart on Man City’s slump in form.

This week we talk about the Caf Women’s Champions League, which starts on Saturday in Morocco, with increased prize money.We look at the career of African football legend Emmanuel Adebayor, who recently had a testimonial in Togo to mark the end of his career. And Adebayor tells us about his faith - how he sleeps with his Bible under his pillow, and how he was unable to walk until he was 5, and how a visit to a church in Ghana led to him starting to walk, fittingly at the sight of a football.Also Stuart on the new Manchester United coach Reuben Amorim – is everything now in place, or are there still issues of concern at the club?

This week we zoom in on the Ballon d’Or ceremony, as Rodri took the men's award ahead of Vini Junior, amid allegations of racism.We also look at the nominees for the CAF Awards, with Victor Boniface, Mohamed Salah and Mohammed Kudus all missing out.Also, CAF president Patrice Motsepe says he is looking to secure a second term, and Stuart on Manchester United’s future following the sacking of Erik Ten Hag.

This week we talk Beach Soccer, with Senegal playing Mauritania in the final of the Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt on Saturday.We find out more about the game and hear from Nigerian Abu Azeez, an African legend of beach soccer. Also we have a look at the Caf Congress, with positive financial developments reported, and lots on the Uefa Champions League, as plenty of African players impressed this week.

This week we look at the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, with Nigeria pulling out of their game in Libya in controversial circumstances, and with Ghana in serious trouble and looking unlikely to qualify.Also we look ahead to the Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, and Stuart analyses Thomas Tuchel’s appointment as England manager.

This week we look at the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, with teams in back-to-back qualifiers in the space of a few days, and a lot at stake.We also talk about the Egyptian who’s outscoring Harry Kane in Germany – Egypt forward Omar Marmoush, and we analyse the Ballon D'Or nominees, with Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman the only African player on the 30-man shortlist.And Stuart assesses the situation at Manchester United, as the poor results continue.

This week we analyse the surprise decision by the Senegal Football Federation to part ways with national team coach Aliou Cisse, after a long and successful time in charge.We also look at the Fifa ban for Cameroon Football Federation president Samuel Eto’o, which bars him from attending any Cameroon international matches for six months.We speak to Ivorian defender Cedric Kipré, who moved to Reims in France as he hopes to make it to the Cote D’Ivoire national team.And lots on the Uefa Champions League, as Mohamed Salah becomes the highest-scoring African player in Champions League history.