Sports

19, May 2026

Football: Pep Guardiola set to leave Man City ⁰

Pep Guardiola is set to call time on his career at Manchester City this weekend, with former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca expected to be confirmed as his successor.

Rumours have been swirling for several months suggesting Guardiola is set to end his record-breaking reign as City manager, but the Spaniard and club officials were keen to keep the decision under wraps until their final game of the season against Aston Villa on Sunday.

Yet news broke this evening that City are preparing to confirm the exit of their most successful manager of all time, even though he has one year left on his contract.

Guardiola confirmed that he was contemplating his exit from City before he signed a new deal in November 2024, but he was persuaded to stay on to lead a squad rebuild that has led to double trophy success in this season’s Carabao Cup and FA Cup.

Now it has been revealed that City chiefs were aware of Guardiola’s intention to step away at the end of this season for some time and have been making plans for a new era.

Maresca has long been viewed as a probable successor, with the coach who guided Chelsea to the FIFA Club World Cup last summer tipped to return to City, where he worked with the club’s junior sides before being promoted to assistant coach to Guardiola in 2022.

Guardiola is set to leave City with a legacy that will see him placed alongside the all-time great managers in the history of the English game, with City’s 1-0 win in last Saturday’s FA Cup final against Chelsea bringing his haul of major trophies to 17 in his decade at the club.

Manchester City declined to comment on the fresh report, first revealed by the Daily Mail.

Source: Irish Independent

17, May 2026

MMA: The Predator Francis Ngannow returns with a destructive knockout victory ⁰

Francis Ngannou made a statement return to mixed martial arts with a destructive knockout victory over Philipe Lins, needing less than one round to settle the contest.

‎Fighting at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, near Los Angeles, the Cameroonian wasted no time reminding the world of his power. After nearly two years away from MMA competition, Ngannou came out aggressively, immediately putting pressure on his Brazilian opponent.

‎The decisive moment came late in the opening round. With just about a minute remaining, Ngannou unleashed a crushing left hand that sent Lins crashing to the canvas. The referee stepped in without hesitation, bringing the bout to an emphatic end.

‎It was a dominant display from the former heavyweight champion, who showed no signs of ring rust. From the opening seconds, Ngannou dictated the pace, refusing to allow Lins any opportunity to settle into the fight.

‎The victory not only marks a successful comeback but also reinforces Ngannou’s reputation as one of the most dangerous knockout artists in heavyweight MMA. His return had been highly anticipated, and he delivered in emphatic fashion.

‎The bout was part of a major fight card broadcast globally on Netflix, adding further spotlight to an already high-profile return for “The Predator.”

Culled from Lebledparle.com

14, May 2026

Madonna, Shakira, BTS to headline first FIFA World Cup final half-time show ⁰

Coldplay’s Chris Martin is curating the show, which is a first for a football World Cup final but has raised concerns about how long the game’s halftime break will be.

The biggest-ever World Cup, with 48 teams, kicks off on June 11 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

“Madonna, Shakira and BTS are global icons whose music transcends borders and generations, and we are proud to welcome them to the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino in a statement.

The show, which will also feature characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets, will support FIFA’s Global Citizen Education Fund, an initiative working to raise $100 million for children worldwide during the World Cup.

No details have yet been released on the length of the show to be performed by a trio of co-headliners, though Shakira confirmed she will perform the tournament’s official song, “Dai Dai.”

Madonna described the concert in support of expanding global education as “deeply meaningful to me.”

“Music is the universal language of hope and harmony, and we’re honored to celebrate that power at the World Cup by connecting with millions of viewers around the world in support of children’s education,” added BTS, in a joint statement.

‘Biggest sporting event’

Infantino had announced last year that there would be a first-ever halftime show “befitting the biggest sporting event in the world” at the World Cup final.

A halftime show was trialed at last year’s FIFA Club World Cup final, also at MetLife Stadium. It stretched the break in excess of the regulation 15 minutes.

Shakira also performed at halftime during the final of the 2024 Copa America in Miami.

The singer — who has a long association with the World Cup, having created the 2010 tournament’s anthem “Waka Waka” — teased “Dai Dai” last week in a brief video of the track filmed at Brazil’s iconic Maracana Stadium.

In the 67-second video, Shakira appears on the pitch at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro, where she performed in a free concert at the city’s Copacabana Beach before two million people.

Holding the “Trionda”, the official match ball of the 2026 World Cup, Shakira performed excerpts of the song in English, joined by dancers dressed in the colors of teams including the United States and Colombia.

The song was produced with Nigerian artist Burna Boy and is set for official release on Thursday. The clip, also shared by the FIFA World Cup account, ends with the message: “We’re ready!”

The World Cup will feature three separate opening ceremonies — one in each of its host countries — starting with Mexico on June 11, followed by Canada and the US the following day.

Global music stars including Katy Perry, Future, Alanis Morissette, Michael Buble, J Balvin and Lisa will feature across those three concerts.

Infantino has also said that FIFA plans to “take over” New York’s Times Square on the final weekend of the World Cup.

Source: AFP

13, May 2026

Colonel Hamad Kalkaba Malboum: Cameroon mourns a guardian of national pride ⁰

The President of the National Olympic and Sports Committee of Cameroon is no more! Retired Colonel Hamad Kalkaba Malboum died today in Yaoundé, the nation’s capital. No details have been released regarding the circumstances of his passing. But family sources have hinted that his funeral is scheduled to take place in a few hours at the Etoudi Mosque in Yaoundé. The nation is not mourning only a sports administrator but a builder of dreams, a guardian of national pride and a giant of African sport who has travelled to the land of his ancestors aged 76.

Colonel Hamad Kalkaba Malboum was a gentleman par excellence who believed in the Anglo-Saxon tradition of integrity and he carried the Olympic spirit not as a title but as a calling. To be sure, he stood at the crossroads of discipline and vision, blending the firmness of a Cameroonian soldier with the heart of a mentor. Under Colonel Hamad Kalkaba’s leadership, Africa’s sporting movements found not only integrity and dignity but also direction. He believed and fervently too that sport could unite tribes, generations and nations and he dedicated his whole life to making that belief real.

From stadiums in Douala, Buea, Bamenda, Garoua and Yaoundé to international Olympic assemblies, Colonel Hamad Kalkaba Malboum’s voice carried the hopes of African athletes. Kalkaba fought endlessly for the recognition of African sport on the world stage, ensuring that the dreams born on dusty training grounds could shine beneath Olympic lights.

But far beyond the medals, the international congresses and the titles, Colonel Hamad Kalkaba Malboum will be remembered for something deeper: his unwavering faith in the Cameroonian youth.

Colonel Kalkaba saw potential where everyone saw limitation.

Colonel Kalkaba inspired courage where others saw obstacles.

Colonel Kalkaba reminded the world that excellence belongs to Africa too.

Colonel Hamad Kalkaba Malboum left something behind that is very difficult to describe but the world is very much aware!

Even in death, Colonel Kalkaba’s legacy lives on:

in every Cameroonian athlete who dares to dream,

in every African flag raised in international competition,

and in every young sportsman or woman who now believes the world stage is within reach. Colonel Kalkaba did not merely lead institutions. Kalkaba shaped destinies.

May Yaoundé remember Colonel Kalkaba’s footsteps.

May Cameroon honour Colonel Kalkaba’s sacrifice.

May Africa never forget his service.

And may his soul find eternal peace among the champions he inspired.

Born on November 11, 1950 in Kawadji near Kousséri, he served as President of the National Olympic and Sports Committee of Cameroon since 1998, President of the African Athletics Confederation (CAA), and Vice President of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) since August 2015.

He replaced Lamine Diack following the death of Primo Nebiolo and lost the presidency of the International Military Sports Council in 2014. In 2024, he was elected President of the African Olympic Sports Confederation.

Rest well, Colonel! Your race was long, your finish was honorable and your legacy is immortal.

To this I put my name

Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

13, May 2026

FECAFOOT new headquarters and the CPDM ribbon-cutting republic ⁰

Yaoundé, the nation’s capital where potholes have tenure, blackouts arrive more regularly and more reliably than ambulances and the entire population can name football clubs in Europe, North America and in the Gulf States before they can name a functioning public establishment, the Biya led regime today demonstrated once more its unmatched mastery of ceremony-the inauguration of the new building to host the Cameroon Football Federation.

The event can best be described as a source of shame attended with the gravity usually reserved for May 20 celebrations, Indomitable Lions victory parades or the discovery of potable tap water in the Far North Region.

The building seen here on the photo attached to this editorial will house the entire governing body of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) – a very noble achievement for a country that has participated in six FIFA World Cup finals.

Today’s ceremony in Yaoundé clearly reveals that the missing ingredient in our Francophone dominated Cameroonian football is not youth investment, honest and transparent administration, functioning local championships or unpaid players and coaching staffs. No. It is buildings. Magnificent ultra-modern buildings!

All of Cameroon except the 92-year-old President Biya was involved in today’s FECAFOOT new office party.

The presidency of the republic in the words of artist Maxi Manorh was “fully represented”! Cabinet ministers answered present. Deputy cabinet ministers came. Ministers delegated by ministers from the presidency and the prime minister’s office attended. Traditional rulers arrived. Barons of the ruling CPDM party were visible. Security entourages multiplied around the vicinity like unpaid invoices in the Ministry of Finance. Somewhere in the convoy was Ahmad Ahmad former president of the African Football Confederation who ousted the late Issa Hayatou.

The ceremony was planned with the sole and ill-disguised intention of making Cameroonians to put behind them the painful failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada-USA with the organizers insisting that the national anthem must be delivered in English. (See copy of program).

As usual, speeches flowed including that of CAF President Patrice Tlhopane Motsepe with the usual high-tempo soccer match enthusiasm for obvious facts. In one of the dirtiest capital cities in the world, the FECAFOOT building represents progress. Patrice Tlhopane Motsepe whose kinsmen have been slaughtering hundreds of black African migrants in his native South Africa praised the vision of modern football governance in Cameroon while seated beneath an air conditioner likely more efficient than FECAFOOT itself.

Every speaker on the public address system praised the leadership of Samuel Eto’o because in Biya’s Cameroon, no public staircase can simply be a staircase. It must symbolize emergence 2036, corruption, Special Criminal Court, resilience, appointments, decentralization and probably a big thank you to the Head of State.

Just outside the so-called new FECAFOOT building, ordinary Cameroonians watched the show with the weary expertise of citizens who have seen too many ribbon-cutting in Biya’s continued stay in power and zero outcomes. Ever since Biya took office, buildings are opened with fireworks and abandoned with silence.

What is laughable here is not that a new befitting FECAFOOT headquarters now exists in Yaoundé. Every serious football federation needs one. The comedy is the large scale of the political pilgrimage surrounding today’s inauguration event involving Prime Minister Dion Ngute, Higher Education Minister Fame Ndongo, Minister of Sports and Physical Education Mouelle Kombi Narcisse and a former CAF president banned from football activities. A country capable of mobilizing the political and administrative class to admire a building and the office furniture somehow still struggles to mobilize basic services with the same urgency. Perhaps Cameroon’s genuine national sport is not football but attendance. Name them: attendance at ceremonies, attendance at launches and attendance at commemorations of previous ceremonies. A CPDM MP or cabinet minister can miss parliamentary sessions, miss his or her children’s graduation ceremony; even miss family funeral rites but never the laying of a foundation stone as they often put it in their local parlance.

Meanwhile, on a playground some few meters away from the new FECAFOOT building producing the next generation of football talent, boys and girls are still playing on dusty environment with improvised goalposts and dreams larger than the budget for the inauguration refreshments.

But at least for now there is a FECAFOOT headquarters from which Samuel Eto’o and his progressive forces can discuss the condition of the dusty fields in the country.

A great leap forward.

To this I put my name

Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai

12, May 2026

Football: Ousmane Dembélé is Ligue 1 player of the year ⁰

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé was on Monday named the Ligue 1 player of the year for the second year running, after leading the club to the brink of a 14th French title and the Champions League final.

The 28-year-old becomes just the fifth player to win back-to-back awards, the last being Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2014.

Dembélé last year succeeded Kylian Mbappe who won the prize five times in a row before departing for Real Madrid.

“It’s an individual trophy but all the individual trophies I’ve won are thanks to this team,” Dembélé said.

The forward retained the honour despite having had an injury-plagued season.

He has started just nine matches in Ligue 1, notching up 960 minutes of gametime, compared to 20 starts and 1,736 minutes last season.

Despite the reduced time on the pitch, Dembélé has scored 10 goals and six assists – still down on the 21 and eight he achieved last year.

Paris Saint-Germain effectively wrapped up another Ligue 1 title on Sunday as a 1-0 win over Brest left them six points clear of nearest rivals Lens.

With just two games remaining, Luis Enrique’s side also boast a superior goal difference.

PSG will be officially crowned French champions for the fifth season running, and the 12th time in the last 14 years, if they avoid defeat away to second-placed Lens on Wednesday.

PSG are also preparing for the Champions League final against Arsenal later this month after edging Bayern 6-5 on aggregate in their semi-final.

The award for best young player went to Dembélé’s teammate Desiré Doué, while Pierre Sage picked up the honours for best coach after establishing Lens as a direct challenge to PSG.

Source: AFP

30, April 2026

CAF and UEFA sign MoU aimed at strengthening collaboration ⁰

The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) President Dr Patrice Motsepe and the Union of European Football Associations (“UEFA”) President Mr Aleksander Čeferin have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (“MoU”) aimed at strengthening collaboration, growth and development of football across Europe and Africa.

The MoU, signed in Vancouver, Canada, underlines the guiding principles shared by CAF and UEFA, highlighting football’s role in promoting inclusion, participation and social cohesion, while reaffirming a joint commitment to solidarity, integrity and openness.

CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe said: “African Football has experienced significant growth over the past few years and we continue to build towards making it among the best in the world. By signing the Memorandum of Understanding with UEFA, we are strengthening our historic ties and friendship between Africa and Europe that has seen some of the best African players succeeding in European Leagues. This partnership with UEFA includes youth and women’s football, development, the education and training of coaches and referees, the enhancement of governance and institutional development. It also< reflects CAF and UEFA’s shared vision of using football as a tool to bring together and unite the people of our two Continents. By combining our expertise and resources, CAF and UEFA will ensure that football continues to be a source of hope, joy and unity for millions of people worldwide.”

UEFA President Mr Aleksander Čeferin said: “Europe and Africa are home to extraordinary football landscapes, where the game plays a vital role both on the pitch and within society. This Memorandum of Understanding reflects our shared commitment to expanding opportunities for boys and girls in youth football, while harnessing the power of the game to advance women’s football and promote women’s health and wellbeing. By working closely with CAF, we aim to invest in people, share expertise and strengthen football’s positive and lasting impact on communities across both continents.”

The MoU, which runs until 30 June 2031, will combine expertise and experience across several strategic areas, including:

Youth and women’s football: CAF Member Associations will participate in selected CAF-UEFA Youth Competitions alongside opportunities for reciprocal involvement in initiatives such as the CAF African Schools Football Championship.
Football development programmes: Implementation of initiatives supporting tailored, long‑term projects and partnerships between European and African Member Associations.
Coach education: Focusing on the sharing of technical know‑how, best practice and collaborative learning activities to strengthen and align coaching structures across both Confederations.
Refereeing: Opportunities for match officials and referee instructors for knowledge exchange.
Exchange of expertise and institutional knowledge: Including observer programmes at major club and national team tournaments, as well as contributions to conferences and professional events organised by both Confederations.
Education and capacity development: With access to selected programmes, joint work on education pathways and cooperation on football medicine through the development of dedicated training frameworks.
Governance and coordination: Featuring regular meetings and progress reviews to ensure alignment on priorities and effective delivery of agreed activities.

This MoU reaffirms CAF and UEFA’s shared conviction that football can act as a driver for opportunity, education and positive social impact across Europe and Africa, while providing a basis for CAF and UEFA to develop additional joint initiatives over time.

Culled from CAF

8, April 2026

Football: Bayern Munich beats Real Madrid 2-1 as Kane rules the roost vs Mbappe ⁰

Bayern Munich took control of its Champions League quarterfinal on Tuesday with a 2-1 victory over Real Madrid at the ‌Santiago Bernabeu, earning a slender first-leg advantage after a high-tempo contest in the Spanish capital.

Vincent Kompany’s side struck just before half-time when Serge Gnabry slipped a precise pass through ⁠for Luis Diaz, who beat the offside trap and fired low past keeper Andriy Lunin in the 41st minute.

Bayern doubled its lead seconds after the restart as Michael Olise squared for Harry Kane to finish neatly from the edge of ‌the box following a swift counterattack.

Real improved after the hour, and Kylian Mbappe pulled one back in the 74th minute, turning in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s low cross at the far post.

Manuel ‌Neuer then denied Mbappe and Vinicius Jr with a series of sharp saves as the host pressed ⁠for an equaliser that never came, as Bayern headed home with a slender yet significant ⁠advantage.

The winner of the two-legged tie will face either Paris Saint-Germain or Liverpool, who play their first leg on Wednesday, in the semifinals.

“We came out for the second half and conceded a goal straight away. Both goals we conceded were gifts. Both sides had plenty of chances but Bayern’s best ‌player today was Neuer. In the end, that’s how it goes,” Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger told Movistar Plus.

Bayern imposed itself from the outset and went close to scoring in the ninth minute, only for Alvaro Carreras to produce a goal-line clearance to deny Dayot Upamecano from point-blank range after Real ‌failed to clear their lines.

The visiting side dominated possession in the first half, seeing more than 65 per cent of the ball as Alvaro Arbeloa’s side dropped into a deep defensive block and looked to break on the counter.

Real nonetheless created chances. Vinicius forced a superb one-handed save ⁠from Neuer in the 17th minute, the Bayern goalkeeper tipping away a low drive from the edge of the box at full stretch.

REFLEX SAVE

Mbappe squandered two openings soon after and was denied again in the 29th minute ‌by an outstanding reflex save from Neuer.

Bayern made the breakthrough four minutes before the interval following a slick passing move. Kane and Gnabry exchanged quick passes before Gnabry slipped a perfectly weighted ball through the centre for Diaz, who slipped behind the defence and drilled a low finish inside the right post in the 41st minute.

The German side doubled its lead seconds after the restart. Carreras lost possession in midfield, and Bayern countered swiftly as Kane, unmarked on the edge of the area, finished calmly just inside the right ‌post.

It was Kane’s 49th goal of the season and his 11th in the Champions League.

Real responded with urgency. Vinicius burst clear after an error from Upamecano in the 60th minute but dragged his shot wide as Neuer rushed out to narrow the angle.

The goalkeeper then produced another fine one-handed save to ⁠deny Mbappe in the 65th minute and moments later watched the France forward pull an angled effort wide after ⁠clever play from Vinicius.

Mbappe pulled one back in the 74th minute, with the referee ruling the ball had crossed the line despite Neuer appearing to get a hand to the shot.

Neuer remained ‌defiant, blocking a fierce strike from Vinicius in the 81st minute and holding an Eder Militao curler shortly afterwards, while Mbappe sent another effort narrowly wide in the 89th minute as Real poured forward.

Bayern wasted chances to extend its lead on the break but returned home with the advantage after a compelling first leg.

Source: Sportstar

6, April 2026

Football: Real Madrid hoping Champions League magic halts Bayern juggernaut ⁰

Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich visit Real Madrid on Tuesday in the Champions League quarter-finals high on confidence and looking like Europe’s most complete side, bolstered by the likely return of superstar striker Harry Kane.

Record 15-time winners Madrid have endured a difficult season, plagued by inconsistency, but have made a habit of pulling off the unexpected in this competition.

Just as it seemed their well of Champions League magic was running dry, Madrid produced their best performance of the season to crush Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the last 16.

Despite Madrid’s prestige and troupe of attacking stars — Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Jude Bellingham included, as well as City hat-trick hero Federico Valverde — Bayern are arguably favourites to lift the trophy.

“It would be presumptuous to assume that we’ll definitely advance,” said honorary Bayern president Uli Hoeness. “But we haven’t had such great chances in terms of the playing quality as we have this year in a long time.”

Kane, who has scored 48 goals in 40 appearances across all competitions this season, missed Bayern’s battling 3-2 Bundesliga win at Freiburg on Saturday with an ankle issue.

“He’d play in a wheelchair,” said Bayern midfielder Joshua Kimmich, while Kompany added that he had “a feeling” that the England striker would be ready.

With Michael Olise and Luis Diaz joining Kane in attack, Kompany’s side play an aggressive, high-pressing style which helped them demolish Atalanta in the last 16, 10-2 on aggregate.

Bayern came from two goals down to beat Freiburg and match-winner Lennart Karl said that fighting spirit was crucial heading into the Madrid clash.

“It gives us a lot of confidence. It was very important — we actually feel unbeatable at the moment,” he said, with Bayern’s last defeat coming in January, 14 matches ago.

In that same period Madrid have lost four times, with coach Alvaro Arbeloa struggling to find the right balance when all his superstars are fit, just like Xabi Alonso and Carlo Ancelotti before him.

“They’re not playing the best football, but they’re outstanding in terms of experience,” noted Hoeness.

Bernabeu factor

Madrid fell to a disappointing defeat at Mallorca in La Liga on Saturday, leaving them seven points behind rivals Barcelona in the Spanish title race.

Arbeloa brushed off the loss and said it would have no bearing on his team’s performance against Bayern, in the club’s favoured competition.

“I know what my players are capable of, I know they understand the importance of Tuesday’s game,” Arbeloa told reporters.

“The demand on the team will be maximum and I know the support that Madrid fans will offer us — with them, everything is easier.”

Bayern are well aware of the impact of Madrid’s supporters on big European nights at the Bernabeu, which, along with the weight of history and sublime individual quality, helps Los Blancos pull off remarkable results even when the odds are against them.

“It’s the stadium and the fans who, together with the team, transform into a hurricane that sweeps over the opponent,” said Bayern powerbroker Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

“You need nerves of steel, you have to stay calm, and you have to be mentally prepared… it’s not just an ordinary game. It will be the toughest test.”

Two Bayern players who understand that more than most are goalkeepers Manuel Neuer and Sven Ulreich, who have both cracked in the Bernabeu pressure cooker before.

In the 2018 semi-final Ulreich went to pick up a back pass before suddenly realising his mistake and let it run past him, with Karim Benzema tapping into the empty net.

Madrid went on to win that tie, as they have on all of the last four knockouts against Bayern. In each of those years, they went on to lift the trophy.

In the 2024 semi-finals former Stoke City striker Joselu struck twice in the dying embers of the second leg, the first after a Neuer handling error, to send Bayern crashing out.

No teams have faced each other more in the competition, with Tuesday’s match the 29th occasion Madrid will meet Bayern.

The German giants last eliminated Los Blancos in 2012 but believe they finally have the quality this year to rewrite the narrative of the last decade.

Source: AFP

6, April 2026

Congo’s World Cup extended celebration triggers growing tensions in Spain ⁰

Three Spanish clubs have formally lodged complaint with La Liga against the DR Congo national team after several players failed to return on time following the country’s qualification for FIFA World Cup.

Real Betis, Espanyol and Elche jointly submitted the complaint to La Liga which is expected to escalate the matter to the Spanish Football Federation and inform as tensions grow over what clubs see as a breach of international regulations.

Players absent days after qualification

DR Congo secured their place at the 2026 World Cup — set to take place in June across the United States, Canada and Mexico — marking their first appearance in the tournament in more than five decades.

However, the celebrations that followed have created friction.

Several Congolese internationals, including Cédric Bakambu (Real Betis), Yannick Bolasie Dianagana (Elche), and Leandro Bikél (Espanyol), have yet to return to their clubs days after qualification. All three players have already missed official matches, raising concerns among their teams.

According to reports, the Congolese Football Federation kept the squad in the country to take part in extended celebrations, delaying their release.

He added that the case has now been referred to FIFA’s disciplinary bodies warning that such actions could set a dangerous precedent.

“An unusual situation” says Espanyol coach

Espanyol manager Manolo González also expressed frustration ahead of his side’s recent fixture against Real Betis.

Source: Foot Africa