Friendly World Cup 2014 World Cup 2014 warm up World Cup Archive
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)

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5 Mar 2014
Africa Cup Featured Key-Player Legends National teams World Cup 2014
LEGENDS - CAMEROON - Samuel Eto'o - Africa Cup of Nations all time leading scorer

Eto'o was a part of the squads that won the 2000 and 2002 Africa Cup of Nations, and was a gold medalist at the 2000 Summer Olympics. At the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup, in which Cameroon finished as runners-up, he scored his only goal in a 1:0 group-stage upset of Brazil on 19 June. 

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3 Mar 2014
Featured Legends
Arthur Wharton honoured - Football's first professional black player

Arthur Wharton is to be honoured outside Rotherham United's New York Stadium. Born in 1865 in Jamestown, Gold Coast, in what is now Ghana. His pioneering footballing career started as a goalkeeper at Darlington FC and he played for numerous teams. Wharton played for the original Rotherham Town, a team of the same name was the forerunner of Rotherham United.

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23 Feb 2014
Key-Player National teams Stars in Europe World Cup 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. 

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22 Feb 2014
Key-Player National teams Stars in Europe
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.

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25 Jan 2014
Featured Legends
Mozambique-born Portugal football legend Eusebio dies aged 71

Mozambique-born Portugal football legend Eusebio, who was top scorer at the 1966 World Cup, dies aged 71.

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25 Jan 2014
African Champions League Coaches National League
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. 

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20 Jan 2014
Coaches Featured FIFA 100 Key-Player
stars in Europe - Clarence Seedorf set to take over as AC Milan manager

Clarence Seedorf says he is to become the new AC Milan manager after announcing his retirement from playing.

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15 Jan 2014
Breaking News Featured Legends
Nelson Mandela - Sport pays tribute to former South Africa president

Mandela has been described as the architect of the 2010 World Cup by FIFA president Sepp Blatter, and the head of the football world governing body was correct. 

"You are the true architect of this FIFA World Cup; your presence and commitment made it happen. Now the first African FIFA World Cup is reality," explained Blatter while handing over the trophy to Mandela at a press conference in 2010.

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7 Dec 2013
Club International Player Stars in Europe
stars in Europe - Swansea's Wilfried Bony inspired by Drogba's success at Chelsea

New Swansea City signing Wilfried Bony believes he can emulate Ivory Coast compatriot Didier Drogba's goal-scoring exploits in the Premier League.

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12 Jul 2013
CAF National teams

2026 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS - CAF - PRELIMINARY STAGE - DR Congo is still in the game

DR Congo beats Nigeria 4:3 on penalties following a 1:1 draw after extra time in the African play-off final.


Sunday 16th November

Play-offs / Final

DR Congo vs Nigeria 4:3 


Thursday 13th November

Play-offs / Semi-finals


Nigeria vs Gabon 4:1 (after extra time)

Cameroon vs Congo DR 0:1

 

FACTS

Congo DR can still dream of a return to the World Cup for the first time since 1974, when the country was called Zaire.

Nigeria, meanwhile, will be missing from a second successive edition of the World Cup.

DR Congo held their nerve in a compelling shootout to join Bolivia and New Caledonia at the six-team inter-confederation tournament, which will provide the final two qualifiers for next year's World Cup.

The winner of the second leg of the Asian play-off between Iraq and the United Arab Emirates and the best two third-ranked finishers from the third round of Concacaf qualifying will complete the field.

Based on their world ranking of 60th, the Leopards could face two more games in their quest to reach the finals - and they will discover their fate when the draw is made on Thursday.

 

 

17 Nov 2025
BBC Sport Africa / Rob Stevens

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Cameroon Congo DR Gabon Nigeria

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