FIFA rankings - Egypt makes big leap in latest rankings

Egypt have climbed up more places than any other African country in Fifa's latest world rankings for March.

14 Mar 2014
2014 World Cup - warm up - Ghana

Ghana Sports Minister Elvis Ankrah is confident the team will prepare in the right way for a successful World Cup.

12 Mar 2014
2014 World Cup - warm up - African sides ready

All five of Africa's World Cup finalists are in action this week as they continue their preparations for this summer's tournament in Brazil.
(Algeria; Cameroon; Ghana; Côte d'Ivoire; Nigeria)

5 Mar 2014
stars in Europe - Yaya Toure's incredible journey

He won the Champions League and two La Liga titles while with Barca. Toure also won league titles in Greece and England, and domestic cups in each country too. According to the people who know him best, Yaya Toure always had the ability and ambition he needed to make his journey from a barefooted boy footballer to one of the best players in the world. 

22 Feb 2014
stars in Europe - AC Milan set to sign Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien

Chelsea have agreed a deal with AC Milan to sell midfielder Michael Essien to the Italian side. Essien has flown in for talks and a medical with Clarence Seedorf's underachieving Serie A club.

25 Jan 2014
NATIONAL LEAGUE - TUNISIA - COACH - Ruud Krol appointed as new Esperance coach

The 64-year-old former Dutch World Cup captain joined the Tunisian side only a day after leading CS Sfaxien to glory in the Confederation Cup with a 3:2 aggregate win over TP Mazembe. Krol's departure ends a successful year at the club in which he also led the Tunisians to a first league title in eight years in May. "It was my decision to leave. 

20 Jan 2014

Fifa - Presidential election candidates confirmed

Seven candidates will stand in FIFA's presidential election on 26 February 2016.

The candidates are: 
Prince Ali bin al-Hussein
Musa Bility
Jerome Champagne
Gianni Infantino
Michel Platini
Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa 
Tokyo Sexwale

 

Trinidadian ex-footballer David Nakhid was not included on the list, despite saying he had submitted his candidacy.

The election is to find a successor to the suspended Sepp Blatter, who is under criminal investigation.

The Swiss 79-year-old announced he would be stepping down in June, with world football's governing body at the centre of a corruption scandal.

 

Analysis from BBC Sport's Richard Conway

"David Nakhid's candidacy has been invalidated due to the fact he only received four valid football association nominations. Candidates require five.

"It is understood one national association nominated both Nakhid and another candidate. 

Under the election rules that would invalidate the nomination.

"Nakhid's camp are believed to be writing to Fifa to demand an explanation as to how and why he has been barred from running."


WHO ARE THE CANDIDATES?

Prince Ali bin al-Hussein (39)
• President of the Jordan Football Association

Musa Bility (48) 
President of the Liberian Football Association

Jerome Champagne (57)
Former FIFA executive

Gianni Infantino (45)
UEFA's general secretary

Michel Platini (60)
UEFA president and FIFA vice-president     

Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa (49)
• President of the Asian Football Confederation

Tokyo Sexwale (62)
A South African former government minister 


Platini, the head of European football's governing body, is also suspended, but FIFA's electoral committee says it may allow him to stand if his ban ends before the election date.

FIFA and Swiss prosecutors are investigating reports that a £1.35m payment was made in 2011 for work Platini did as Blatter's adviser.

Both men deny any wrongdoing and are appealing against their 90-day bans.

All candidates had to obtain the written backing of five football associations under FIFA electoral rules.

 

 

29 Oct 2015
(BBC Sport UK)

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