SPORT - The African Mirror

Sep

15

2025

African excellence shines bright at Tokyo 2025 World Championships

ATHLETICS

THE National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan, has once again become a theatre of dreams for African athletics, as the continent's finest sprinters and distance runners delivered performances that will be etched in the annals of track and field history. The 2025 World Athletics Championships has showcased Africa's enduring dominance in distance running while revealing exciting new chapters in the continent's sprinting renaissance. Kenya's Golden Dawn: Chebet Breaks the Drought The championships opened with a moment of pure magic as Kenya's Beatrice Chebet stormed to victory in the women's 10,000 meters, delivering Kenya's first gold medal and ending a decade-long wait…

Sep

11

2025

By The African Mirror

The battle for 2026 FIFA World Cup: Nigeria, Cameroon dreams hang in the balance

FOOTBALL

AS the dust settles on another dramatic day of World Cup qualifying across Africa, two contrasting narratives emerge from the beautiful game's most unforgiving theatre. While Senegal and South Africa inch tantalizingly close to booking their tickets to the 2026 World Cup, two of West Africa's most storied footballing nations - Nigeria and Cameroon - find themselves staring into the abyss of qualification heartbreak. The Rise of the Underdogs In perhaps the most stunning subplot of Tuesday's action, the tiny Cape Verde Islands delivered a thunderbolt that reverberated across the continent. With a population barely exceeding 600,000 souls scattered across…

Sep

09

2025

By The African Mirror

Africa’s World Cup renaissance: Nine nations set to shine on global stage

FOOTBALL

THE drums of African football are beating louder than ever as the continent's elite nations enter the most crucial phase of their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. With just four matchdays separating dreams from devastation, nine coveted tickets to North America are sparking fierce battles across the continent. Morocco Leads the Charge with Ruthless Precision The Atlas Lions have roared their way into history, becoming the first African nation to punch their ticket to the 2026 World Cup finals. Their emphatic 5-0 demolition of Niger at home wasn't just a victory—it was a statement of intent that echoed across…

Sep

05

2025

By SPORTS REPORTER

African World Cup dreams take shape

FOOTBALL

THE race for 2026 World Cup qualification heated up across Africa this week, with South Africa maintaining their surprising grip at the summit while continental powerhouses Nigeria find themselves in unfamiliar territory - chasing from behind. South Africa's Commanding Display Against Lesotho In a match that epitomised their resurgent campaign, Bafana Bafana delivered a masterclass performance, dismantling neighbours Lesotho 3-0 at home to preserve their precious lead atop Group C. The victory was as convincing as it was crucial, with South Africa showcasing the attacking flair and defensive solidity that has defined their unexpected rise. The breakthrough came in the…

Sep

04

2025

By The African Mirror

CAF World Cup 2026 Qualifiers: The state of play as Africa’s qualifying resumes

FOOTBALL

AFRICAN qualifying restarts on Wednesday with decisive stakes and places at the 2026 World Cup on the line.The equation is simple enough: the nine group winners qualify automatically for 2026 in Canada, Mexico and the USA. The four best runners-up head to the CAF play-offs for a route to the inter-confederation tournament. Here’s the state of play — group by group, the current tables, plus the fixtures to come. Group A Egypt have set a fierce pace and can all but seal top spot with another strong window. Burkina Faso remain the only realistic challengers and will fancy a late…

Sep

04

2025

By The African Mirror

SA: Pirates coach Ouaddou hospitalised after highway heroics turn tragic

FOOTBALL

ORLANDO Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is fighting for his recovery in a Gauteng hospital in South Africa after a devastating road accident that has sent shockwaves through South African football. The 46-year-old Moroccan legend and former Fulham defender was struck by a Nissan NP200 pickup truck on Sunday evening while performing an act of extraordinary courage – stopping to help victims of a highway collision on his team's journey home from victory. Ouaddou and five members of his backroom staff, including defender Tapelo Xoki, were rushed to hospital following the horrific incident on the R21 highway. The coaching staff…

Sep

01

2025

By The African Mirror

From Paris go-kart to F1 podium: Hadjar makes history as African-heritage driver to stand on Formula One rostrum

MOTORSPORT

IN a moment that reverberated across two continents, Isack Hadjar crossed the finish line at the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday to claim third place and become the first driver of African heritage to stand on a Formula One podium. The 20-year-old rookie, born and raised in Paris to Algerian parents, secured his breakthrough result behind race winner Oscar Piastri and defending champion Max Verstappen at the iconic Zandvoort circuit. As champagne sprayed across the podium, Hadjar's achievement marked not just a personal milestone but a historic breakthrough for African representation in motorsport's pinnacle series. Hadjar's journey to this historic…

Sep

01

2025

By The African Mirror

Morocco star Oussama Lamlioui: ‘We proved worthy of the people’s trust’

CHAN 2024

OUSSAMA Lamlioui dedicated Morocco’s record third TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) title to the nation’s supporters after scoring twice in a dramatic 3-2 victory over Madagascar in the final at Nairobi’s Moi International Sports Centre. The RS Berkane forward was named TotalEnergies Man of the Match for his brace — his second award of the tournament after his group-stage heroics against DR Congo — and also secured the Golden Boot with six goals. A nation rewarded With over 38 million Moroccans following the Atlas Lions’ campaign, Lamlioui said the team had repaid the faith placed in them. “I thank the…

Aug

28

2025

By The African Mirror

AFRICAN POWERHOUSE: Continental stars command Premier League’s multimillion-pound transfer revolution

FOOTBALL

THE Premier League's insatiable appetite for African talent has reached fever pitch this summer, with continental stars orchestrating some of the most significant transfers in recent memory. From established superstars to emerging prospects, African players are not just participating in the transfer market - they're commanding it. The Exodus and Arrivals: African Giants on the Move Mohamed Salah's Liverpool Legacy Continues Egyptian superstar Mohamed Salah remains a cornerstone of Liverpool's ambitions, with teammate Wilfred Ndidi naming him among the top three African players of the 2024-25 Premier League season. The Pharaohs captain, now 33, continues to defy age with performances…

Aug

28

2025

By The African Mirror

Morocco and Madagascar set up historic CHAN final in Nairobi

CHAN 2024

MOROCCO will face Madagascar in the final of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) PAMOJA 2024 on Saturday after both sides came through dramatic semi-finals on Tuesday. The Atlas Lions, champions in 2018 and 2020, ended Senegal’s hopes of back-to-back titles by winning 5-3 on penalties after a tense 1-1 draw in Kampala. Earlier in Dar es Salaam, Madagascar reached their first-ever continental final thanks to a 116th-minute strike from substitute Toky Rakotondraibe that sealed a 1-0 victory over Sudan. In Kampala, holders Senegal made the brighter start when Joseph Layousse headed them ahead in the 16th minute. Morocco responded…