Planet Sport Football Africa

On this week's show we find out what the atmosphere is like in Rio de Janeiro as we hear from fans and Games volunteers on Copacabana Beach with the 2016 Olympic Games underway. It's also just a week to go to the start of the new English Premier League season and we catch up on the big transfers involving African players. And Stuart Weir continues his series on Sepp Blatter, looking at the former...

On this week's show we focus on the Rio Olympics. The women's football tournament starts on Wednesday, and the men's competition on Thursday. What can we expect from the African teams in Rio? Can Nigeria win men's gold for a second time? We continue discover the culture of Brazil, this week we go to the world-famous Copacabana beach. And while there are so many hopes of winning Olympic gold and ga...

On this week's show we catch up on the latest in the Caf Champions League - the group stage is already at the half-way stage and the Egyptian teams are not doing as well as expected, while the Southern African sides are off to a great start. It's just 3 weeks to the start of the EPL season, and Stuart profiles one of the best African players ever in the Premier League - Nigeria and Arsenal striker...

On this week's show we talk about the German Bundesliga. The reigning African Footballer of the Year, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, has made a huge impact with Borussia Dortmund in Germany, but overall, the presence of African players in the Bundesliga has not been so strong in recent years, unlike the days when the likes of Tony Yeboah and Jay-Jay Okocha sparkled in the Bundesliga. We speak to Germa...

On this week's show we look at the exciting news for African football fans that English Premier League champions Leicester City have agreed a deal with CSKA Moscow to sign Nigeria winger Ahmed Musa. Solomon has been talking to fans in Musa's home town of Jos. Also with the 2016 Rio Olympics just around the corner we speak to South Africa and Leeds United legend Lucas Radebe about the value of foot...

On this week's show we analyse the draw for the final stage of the 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifiers for Africa. Group B is the so-called "Group of Death" with Cameroon, Algeria, Nigeria and Zambia. Senegal have a much easier-looking draw, and we talk to fans in Senegal. We catch up what's happening on the transfer market – Southampton have sold two African players - Sadio Mane to Liverpool and Victo...

On this week's show we talk about the Nigeria national team – as things are not well for the Super Eagles, we speak to recalled defender Kenneth Omeruo, who was part of the 2013 Nations Cup-winning team, on the frustrations of missing out on two editions of the Nations Cup. And Stuart has the first part of a profile of one of Africa's all-time greats, Didier Drogba.

On this week's show we go to Sierra Leone and find out about the new-found optimism in football there, as the Leone Stars have a chance of making it to the Africa Cup of Nations finals for the first time in over 20 years. We speak to Nigeria international defender Gbenga Arokoyo, who plays in Turkey. Arokoyo talks about his struggles, his faith and issues with the Nigeria national team. Also, with...

On this week's show we pay tribute to former Nigeria coach and captain Stephen Keshi, who died this week at the age of 54. Also we analyse the latest round of qualifiers for the 2017 AFCON as we hear Zimbabwe following the Warriors' qualification and from South Africa goalkeeper, Itumeleng Khune, after Bafana Bafana failed to reach the finals. And we talk about Euro 2016 and point out a few player...

On this week's show we focus on the latest round of qualifiers for the 2017 AFCON. We speak to the coach of surprise Group E leaders Guinea Bissau, who tells us what it would mean for them to qualify for the Nations Cup for the first time. We also hear from Group D joint-leaders Uganda, who are doing well with a new-look side. Also we ask are coaches worldwide being given unrealistic expectations,...

On this week's show we On this week's show we find out about youth football in Cameroon, as the country's FA say that they are getting serious about youth. We talk about referees - a recent investigation has found that referees tend to award harsher foul punishments to the away team. We speak to Bob Hamer, a former EPL referee, who however insists that referees are not swayed by the crowds. Plus E...

On this week's show we analyse some big news in African football, as Senegal's Fatma Samoura has been appointed as Fifa secretary general – the first woman and the first African to be given the post. Will this make new Fifa president Gianni Infantino popular in Africa? Also, Stuart names his three most promising African players of the EPL season, and the 3 biggest disappointments.

On this week's show we have an interview with African football great El Hadji Diouf. Diouf was a key member of the Senegal side that reached the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup, and he played at many top clubs including Liverpool, Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers. Diouf tells us about his love for his country. Also, as the EPL season ends we ask we hear from Leicester City midfielder And...

On this week's show we're asking who are the top three Africans in the EPL this season? With Algeria's Riyad Mahrez having won the PFA player of the year award, which other Africans rank highly this season? We get Solomon and Stuart's views and also hear from fans of Crystal Palace and Watford, who give their assessment of how Yanick Bolasie of DR Congo and Nigeria's Odion Ighalo have fared.

This week we applaud Leicester City and Algeria midfielder Riyad Mahrez who on Sunday became the first African to win the prestigious PFA Player of the Year title, awarded by his fellow professionals. Long-standing Leicester player Andy King tells us about his qualities and we hear from fans in The Gambia as we discuss whether Mahrez deserved the Award this year and whether this makes him the best...

On this week's show we focus on the crisis in Nigerian football. For the third time in five years, Nigeria will be missing out on the Africa Cup of Nations finals, and many angry fans are blaming football leaders. There are serious problems at the Nigeria Football Federation, with two rival leaderships. How important is it to have good leadership and good administration to achieve success in footb...

On this week's show we're talking about the money that players earn – is it fair that top players in Europe have massive salaries when many players in Africa get less that $1,000 a month? Do the huge stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi deserve salaries of over $425,000 a week and should something be done to make sure that players in Africa are rewarded more highly for their talents? Also...

On this week's show we find out about football in Tanzania. The country hasn't had much success in international football, but there's a lot of money in their league these days, and there could be good times ahead. We hear from the president of the Tanzania Football Federation and from one of the top clubs, Young Africans. Stuart Weir gives the second and final part of a look at a book co-written...

On this week's show we go in-depth on the qualifiers for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals. There were 52 matches played over the space of six days, and the results saw some teams get into a very strong position, while others effectively bowed out of the race. Following last week's show on women's football in Africa we hear from listeners on the situations in their countries and go back into t...

On this week's show we find out about the state of women's football in Africa, as the qualifiers are on for the Africa Women's Cup of Nations. We find out about women's football in Nigeria, The Gambia and Tanzania with comments from analyst Solomon Izang Ashoms and on the situation in Europe and the USA from European football expert Stuart Weir. And we catch up with what's going on in the EPL, and...

On this week's show we continue with our look at juju, or muti or charms in football. We hear from listeners with some fascinating stories about their own experiences and views from around Africa, and Planet Sport Football Africa's Solomon Izang Ashoms gives his analysis. We speak to a traditional healer from Zimbabwe who deals with football teams on a regular basis. Plus the latest on the title r...

On this week's show we ask do superstitious beliefs work in football? In much of Africa, there are stories week-in week-out of football teams using juju – beliefs that the supernatural can help them to score goals and win games. Does it work, and is it advisable to get involved in this area? Is it more psychological than spiritual? We hear from former Congo-Brazzaville captain, Oscar Ewolo, who re...

On this week's show we have the third and final part of an exclusive interview with Swansea City and Gambia striker Modou Barrow. This week he answers listeners' questions, including whether he thinks The Gambia can qualify for the Nations Cup one day. Also we ask which team he would choose if he could play for any team in the EPL. Plus, a roundup of how African players are doing in England, and w...

On this week's show we have the second part of an exclusive interview with Swansea City and Gambia striker Modou Barrow. He tells us about what the life of a top footballer is like, and also gives some insight into the qualities of teammate Andre Ayew of Ghana. Also Barrow tells us who he thinks is the best team in the EPL this season and we ask him if top footballers are paid too much money. Plus...

On this week's show we have the first part of an exclusive interview with Swansea City and Gambia striker Modou Barrow. He tells us about life in the EPL, his routine, and what it means to him to have broken into the Premier League. Also we have another big name on the show – Christopher Katongo, who captained Zambia to glory in the Nations Cup in 2012. In the second part of this interview he talk...