SPORT - The African Mirror

Apr

25

2026

Africa’s athletes are the new media: Continent’s Creator Festival launches game-changing sports summit

SPORT

IN the heart of Soweto, on the very ground where champions are forged, and dreams are born, a revolution was declared. On 23 April 2026, the Africa Creator Festival (ACF) launched its inaugural Sports Creator Summit at the iconic Nike Sports Centre - and nothing in the relationship between African sport and African media will ever be quite the same again. This was not a conference. This was a reckoning. A bold statement that the athlete's story does not end when the whistle blows - it begins. "Athletes are no longer just competitors on the field. They are becoming media…

Apr

23

2026

By SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

Africa’s giant enters basketball immortality

BASKETBALL

SHE carried the weight of a continent on her shoulders and made it look effortless. On Tuesday night in Berlin, the basketball world finally gave Clarisse Machanguana the honour her extraordinary career has always deserved - a place in the FIBA Hall of Fame. The Mozambican centre, one of the most commanding and influential figures to emerge from African basketball, was formally inducted at a ceremony on 22 April in the German capital, joining a distinguished Class of 2026 that includes United States legend Sue Bird, France's Céline Dumerc, German icon Dirk Nowitzki, Chile's Ismenia Pauchard, Turkey's Hedo Türkoğlu, China's…

Apr

21

2026

By SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

Dressed for glory, Ready for battle: South Africa’s U-23 men’s softball team fires up for Colombia — and the world is watching

SPORT

WHEN South Africa's Under-23 men's softball squad assembled at Kempton Park one Sunday morning, it was with a clarity of purpose that leaves little room for doubt: this team is ready. The 25 April opening pitch at the WBSC U-23 Men's Softball World Cup in Sincelejo, Colombia - a tournament running through to 3 May 2026 - is no longer a distant aspiration. It is an imminent reality, and South Africa arrives at the starting line with boots laced and eyes blazing. Two powerful threads run through this story: a team forged in fire on the training diamond, and a…

Apr

18

2026

By The African Mirror

Agent confirms uncertainty over Pule Mmodi’s future at Kaizer Chiefs

FOOTBALL

KAIZER Chiefs winger Pule Mmodi is facing an uncertain future at the club, with his representatives confirming that discussions regarding his future have been placed on hold for now. Despite enjoying one of their most promising campaigns in recent years, Amakhosi are dealing with uncertainty surrounding several key players, with a number of contracts set to expire at the end of the current campaign. Among those in a similar position to Mmodi are defender Dillan Solomons, goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma, former Stellenbosch FC midfielder Sibongiseni Mthethwa, as well as Gaston Sirino. Having featured in 25 matches across all competitions, registering one…

Apr

18

2026

By The African Mirror

Stanley Nwabali tipped for lucrative Kaizer Chiefs switch over Europe dream

FOOTBALL

FORMER Nigerian and Moroka Swallows goalkeeper Peterside Idah says he would have no problem seeing Stanley Nwabali join Kaizer Chiefs, but believes the Super Eagles shot-stopper is good enough to secure a move to Europe. Nwabali is expected to decide on his future this summer after spending the last few months without a club. The 29-year-old has never played outside Africa, having started his career in the Nigerian Premier Football League before moving to South Africa. In the past, he was linked with English side Crystal Palace and a host of Saudi Arabian clubs, but those speculations have since cooled without…

Apr

16

2026

By SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

History in the paint: Madina Okot becomes first Kenyan drafted into the WNBA

BASKETBALL

ON the night of the 2026 WNBA Draft, the Atlanta Dream called a name that had never been called before in the history of that league. With the 13th overall pick, they selected Madina Okot - 21 years old, six feet six inches tall, born in Mumias, raised on the basketball courts of Kenya, and now, officially, a member of the best women's basketball league on earth. Kenya did not wake up to a statistic on Wednesday morning. It woke up to a new frontier. "Your journey is proof that even the boldest ambitions are within reach." President William Ruto…

Apr

16

2026

By ABDOULAYE SAKHO

Afcon controversy: what a sports law specialist says about Senegal being stripped of the title

FOOTBALL

TWO months after the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) final, which was won by Senegal in January 2026, the appeal board of the Confederation of African Football (Caf) decided to strip them of the title and give it instead to their opponents, Morocco. This was because the Senegalese team had walked off the pitch for about 10 minutes. CAF’s ruling is based on Articles 82 and 84 of the African football body’s regulations. It goes against the referee’s decision to resume play and see the match through to its conclusion. What does sports law say on this matter? And…

Apr

15

2026

By The African Mirror

Keagan Dolly tipped for shock Kaizer Chiefs return

FOOTBALL

CAPE Town City FC and Bafana Bafana forward Keagan Dolly is likely to return to Kaizer Chiefs at the conclusion of the ongoing 2025/26 domestic season. Dolly to Chiefs? SportsBoom.co.za has learned that former Kaizer Chiefs captain Keagan Dolly is likely to return to Naturena next season, to bolster the team's ambitious turnaround. Dolly spent three seasons in the gold and black colours of Kaizer Chiefs between July 2021 and June 2024, where he carved a big name for himself. During those three seasons, Dolly managed to become the highest earning footballer in the country, as he became an important…

Apr

11

2026

By NAHIS REGIS, BIRD STORY AGENCY

It’s more than basketball

BASKETBALL

ON the basketball court of the Cité des Arts in Cocody, Abidjan, the rhythm is relentless. Balls bounce in quick succession, instructions echo across the court, and young women repeat drills with intensity. Some work on their footwork, others string together passes or reposition themselves on defence under the attentive eye of their coach. At the centre of it all, one woman leads the session with precision: Patricia Lorougnon. A former Ivorian international player, Lorougnon is one of the leading figures in basketball in Côte d’Ivoire. A former player for Africa Sports, Abidjan Basketball Club and ASEC Mimosas, her career…

Apr

10

2026

By The African Mirror

Rassie van der Dussen reveals unfortunate CSA events leading up to retirement

SPORT

AS the topic of communication or lack thereof between senior international players, coaches and selectors all around the world continues to soar, former Proteas batter Rassie van der Dussen spoke his truth in an exclusive interview with SportsBoom, citing that he still does not know why he was not contracted for the 2026/27 season despite having had a meeting with CSA on the eve of the announcement of the contracts. Relationship with Conrad When doing this interview, Van der Dussen was sitting on a beach out of the country, perhaps simultaneously enjoying his recent retirement from international cricket and also…