Hilal become dual champions after triumph in war-torn Sudan
However, Confederation of African Football rules state that only national champions can enter the CAF Champions League, forcing the two clubs to return home and play in army-controlled northeast venues.
The national army have recaptured the capital, Khartoum, after two years of occupation by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, but fighting rages in other parts of the east African nation.
Here, AFP Sport brings news from around the continent, including a personal triumph for Brazilian forward Lucas Ribeiro from South African club Mamelodi Sundowns.
Sudan
Hilal hammered greatest domestic rivals Merrikh after building a three-goal lead by half-time to be crowned Sudanese champions a record-extending 31st time.
Hilal (plus 11) won the title on goal difference from Al Ahly Madani (plus 6) after both sides secured 14 points in the eight-club mini-league.
Snatching the title means Hilal will extend a remarkable record of competing in the Champions League every season since 2004 while Madani will represent Sudan in the competition for the first time.
South Africa
The goal Ribeiro scored for South African champions Sundowns against Borussia Dortmund has been voted the best of the 2025 Club World Cup in a FIFA online poll.
Securing possession in midfield, the 26-year-old used pace and footwork to burst through the defence before calmly shooting past goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
Unfortunately for Sundowns, the first goal of the group match in the 11th minute triggered an immediate response from the German outfit, who scored four times before finishing 4-3 winners.
Tanzania
Simba captain Mohammed Husseini will not have his contract renewed by Simba after 12 years at a club who have dominated Tanzanian football for decades with Dar es Salaam neighbours Young Africans.
The 28-year-old left-back joined Simba from Kagera Sugar in 2014 and has been a first choice since under various coaches, including current incumbent, South African Fadlu Davids.
Simba were runners-up in the CAF Confederation Cup and Tanzanian Premier League last season and suffered a surprise semi-finals loss to Singida Black Stars in the Tanzanian FA Cup.
Ghana
Abdul-Karim Zito has been elevated from caretaker to head coach of Asante Kotoko, a Ghanaian club seeking to become giants again in the west African nation.
The two-time African champions came third in the league last season behind first-time title-holders Bibiani Gold Stars, then beat Golden Kick with an added-time goal to win the Ghana FA Cup.
Lifting the cup qualified Kotoko for the CAF Confederation Cup, the second-tier African competition where Zito exceeded expectations in 2024 by taking another Ghanaian club, Dreams, to the semi-finals.
Uganda
Widely travelled Belgian coach Ivan Minnaert has swapped one domestic champion club for another by moving from Fassell of Liberia to Vipers of Uganda.
Monrovia-based Fassell finished 11 points ahead of Heaven Eleven in the Liberian title race to be crowned national champions for the first time.
Vipers, whose home ground lies 25 kilometres (16 miles) from the capital Kampala, won a much tighter Ugandan league chase, securing just two points more than runners-up NEC.
© 2025 AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
11 minutes ago
- France 24
Late Odegaard penalty gives Arsenal 3-2 win over Newcastle
Viktor Gyokeres, the Swedish international striker signed on Saturday from Sporting Lisbon, was introduced to the crowd of more than 38,700 before kickoff. He watched from the bench as his new club won an entertaining encounter in the Singapore heat. The 27-year-old could make his debut when Arsenal take on Tottenham in Hong Kong next Thursday in another friendly. "We are increasing the quality of the squad all the time, so we're super happy to have Viktor with us," said manager Mikel Arteta. "It has been a long journey to get him here." Newcastle, who were missing striker Alexander Isak as he considers his future, scored with their first attack in the sixth minute. New signing Anthony Elanga blasted the ball into the bottom corner after meeting a cross from Sandro Tonali. But Arsenal overcame a shaky start, regaining their rhythm and control of the game. Mikel Merino levelled in the 33rd minute from Kai Havertz's flick. Arsenal were ahead two minutes later when defender Alex Murphy fumbled the ball into his own net. The Magpies almost conceded a third after the restart but had keeper Nick Pope to thank after he stopped a bicycle kick by Bukayo Saka. Against the run of play, substitute Jacob Murphy levelled for Newcastle a minute later after his shot from outside the box sneaked past David Raya. With the match seemingly headed for a draw, it was 15-year-old Max Dowman's deep run into the box, where he was clipped by Joelinton, that proved to be the game-changer. Odegaard made no mistake from the spot to give Arsenal their second win in Singapore following a 1-0 victory over AC Milan. "Playing against Newcastle today wasn't just a friendly. It was a real test," said Arteta. "It gave us the chance to raise our competitiveness and physical level. There are still things we need to work on, like how we compete, understand our positions and show the willingness to win."
France 24
2 hours ago
- France 24
Rashford makes Barcelona debut in Japan friendly win
The English forward joined the Spanish champions on loan from boyhood club Manchester United this week and was thrust into action against Kobe in the second half. Barcelona had initially cancelled the match on Wednesday, citing unspecified "serious contractual breaches on behalf of the promoter". But the friendly went ahead and Eric Garcia opened the scoring in the first half for the visitors before Taisei Miyashiro equalised for the J. League team that retired Barca star Andres Iniesta once played for. Barcelona coach Hansi Flick changed his line-up at half-time and new signing Roony Bardghji restored their lead in the 77th minute. Pedro Fernandez added a third in the 87th minute. Barcelona are paying around 75 percent of Rashford's £325,000-a-week wage ($435,000) while he is at the club, with the player foregoing the rest, according to Spanish reports. The 27-year-old England international was out of favour under United coach Ruben Amorim and spent the final months of the 2024/25 season on loan at Aston Villa.
France 24
12 hours ago
- France 24
Amateur football leagues win over cynical Chinese fans
A balm for cynical fans drained by years of corruption and ineptitude in the professional game, the amateur leagues springing up around China have drawn millions of viewers online, boosted domestic tourism to lesser-known locales and sparked good-natured rivalry between cities. At the sold-out match in searing heat in Suzhou, near Shanghai, the home crowd jumped out of their seats and cheered when 17-year-old Kou Cheng scored against Yangzhou city in the second minute. Many wore bright red jerseys and T-shirts emblazoned with the characters for "Suzhou" and used paper fans to cool themselves. "Compared to other competitions, the fans here are more passionate, and even if they don't understand football, the atmosphere is lively," Qian Chunyan, a 35-year-old Suzhou resident, told AFP. The tournament first took off in the eastern province of Jiangsu -- where Suzhou is located -- earlier this year. The live-streamed matches soon drew millions of spectators on social media, putting smaller provincial cities on the domestic tourism map. That, in turn, has created a local consumption boom, giving cities that host matches a much-needed reprieve from years of sluggish spending. The games, initially sponsored by local businesses such as barbecue restaurants, have now attracted backing from big-name companies like e-commerce platforms Alibaba and -'Pure football'- Fans of local amateur leagues told AFP they were drawn to matches by the simplicity of football not weighed down by the vast sums of money the professional game involves. "With widespread public participation and minimal corporate involvement, it's a more pure form of football," Wang Xiangshuo, a Suzhou football fan, told AFP. "Winning or losing doesn't matter, purity is most important." Professional football clubs in China, even in its top Super League, have been plagued by match-fixing and gambling scandals. The national team's abysmal performances at international tournaments often draw scorn and abuse from social media users. President Xi Jinping has said he wants China to win the World Cup one day. But the men's team are ranked 94th in the world by FIFA this year and they have only qualified once for the World Cup, in 2002, when they lost all three of their games without scoring a goal. Players in provincial leagues range from high school students to civil servants, including village Communist Party secretary Dai Hu, whose on-field appearances saw him featured by state news agency Xinhua. Local amateur tournaments are "a great model for community football, allowing every citizen to have their own home team", Jin Shan, a football expert at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told AFP. "It brings football closer to the general public." Tourism boom Local tourism has seen a boost from the league's popularity too. Since it began in May, the Jiangsu amateur tournament -- affectionately dubbed the "Su Super League" -- has accounted for a growth in tourism spending in six cities across the province of more than 14 percent, according to state-run broadcaster CGTN. Chen Tianshu, a souvenirs manufacturer in Nantong city, told AFP her colleagues rushed to make enamel badges with team logos and ice cream popsicles in the shape of local symbols after seeing branded tote bags sell out in a neighbouring city. "The ice cream sold very well, with the first batch of a thousand pieces already almost sold out," said Chen, whose company comprises just a dozen people. "Our performance in the Su Super League is giving Nantong a rare moment to shine," she said. Other provinces eager for their share of the amateur football boom are following in Jiangsu's footsteps, with southern Jiangxi province hosting a two-stage tournament this month. Social media trends in China often lead to unexpected locations receiving sudden surges of visitors. Travellers flocked to the industrial town of Zibo in northern China in 2023, after videos featuring its regional barbecue style went viral. "This year's success (of the Jiangsu league) is an unexpected delight," souvenir maker Chen told AFP. "I hope this will be a long-lasting tradition." © 2025 AFP
