Ghana’s Nyantakyi to appeal FIFA life ban at CAS
November 1 – Former Ghana Football Association president Kwesi Nyantakyi is to appeal against his life ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Africa
FIFA bans disgraced Ghana FA chief Kwesi Nyantakyi for life
By Andrew Warshaw
October 31 – The man who was once the second most powerful official in African football has been banned for life by FIFA, the latest influential figure to dramatically fall from grace.
Namibian FA fires president Mbidi amid accusations of disloyalty and corruption
October 30 – The executive committee of the Namibia Football Association (NFA) has taken the unusual step of dismissing the federation’s president Frans Mbidi (pictured) with immediate effect saying the “drastic action” was necessitated by Mbidi’s failure to carry out his duties.
Morocco jails 14 fans for protesting naval killing of student fleeing for Spain
October 25 – During their 2026 World Cup campaign, Moroccan officials were at pains to stress how human rights were not an issue – just as Turkey did for the 2024 Euros.
African women’s team set for AFCON 2018 in Ghana with sights set on France 2019
October 25 – Defending champions Nigeria were paired with South Africa, Zambia and Kenya in Group B as the eight participants in the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations learned their fate at the draw in Accra.
Raji begins post-Bility Liberian FA financial clean-up and puts focus on youth programmes
October 24 – Newly elected Liberia Football Association (LFA) president Mustapha Raji (pictured), who took over from the controversial Musa Bility, says the country badly needs to step up youth development – starting with schools.
Clean-up begins as Somalia’s Stadium Mogadishu sees army exit and footballers enter
October 24 – The return of Somalia’s national stadium to football usage took a symbolic step forward this week with members of the government and the football federation leading a clean-up operation at the venue.
No football in Sierra Leone without Johansen, says FIFA after Zurich talks hit impasse
October 19 – An eagerly awaited meeting between high-ranking FIFA officials and Sierra Leone’s warring football factions has failed to produce the necessary breakthrough and provide a clear way forward.
Madagascar win qualifies them for their first AFCON finals
October 17 – Madagascar have qualified for their maiden African Cup of Nations finals after defeating Equatorial Guinea 1-0 in Vontovorona. They will be joined in Group A by Senegal and north African powerhouses Egypt and Tunisia for the 2019 finals.
Sierra Leone sports minister accuses Johansen of deliberately engineering FIFA ban
October 16 – Sierra Leone’s Sports Minister, Ibrahim Nyelenkeh, has accused the country’s FA president Isha Johansen (pictured left with FIFA general secretary Fatma Samoura) of being personally responsible for FIFA shutting down the federation despite on-going criminal investigations into its leadership.
CAF cancels Sierra Leone’s Ghana fixtures throwing AFCON qualification into doubt
October 10 – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has cancelled the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Group ‘F’ double-header between Sierra Leone and Ghana.
FIFA suspends Sierra Leone until government reinstates corruption-haunted Johansen to SLFA
By Paul Nicholson
October 8 – FIFA has carried out its threat and suspended the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) with immediate effect. FIFA, which has long been battling for the preservation of the incumbent administration in Sierra Leone led by president Isha Johansen, took its action despite on-going criminal investigations into the leadership.
CAF brings in VAR for finals of club competitions
October 5 – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has moved to integrate the Video Assistant Referees, VAR, into its major club competitions. On Thursday, CAF announced that the VAR will feature in the finals of this season’s African Champions League and Confederation Cup.
Ahmad says CAF have backed Cameroon for AFCON 2019 from the start
October 3 – Africa’s football chief Ahmad Ahmad is reported to have promised Cameroon’s president Paul Biya that CAF has “never thought about” stripping the country of hosting rights for next year’s African Cup of Nations.
FIFA reinforce support of Sierra Leone’s Johansen despite criminal probe into her activities
October 2 – FIFA has once again stepped into the internal power struggle in Sierra Leone by calling on the government to allow national FA president, Isha Johansen (pictured left), back into the organisation’s headquarters.