Sports

For a nation of just over half a million people, reaching the knockout stage is already a historic achievement. But the Cape Verde journey is far from over.

A record 215 goals were scored during the group stage, an average of three goals per match, breaking the previous group-stage mark of 172 goals set at Qatar 2022.

Fresh off his impressive 43.54-second victory in the men’s 400m at the Paris Diamond League, Kebinatshipi spoke exclusively to The Eastleigh Voice about the special story behind the Kenyan bracelet he always wears.

Canada midfielder Stephen Eustaquio scored a 92nd-minute winner when a headed clearance fell nicely to him on the edge of the box, hitting his shot first-time into the bottom corner.

Ferdinand Omanyala finished sixth in the men’s 100 metres in 10.02 seconds, continuing his return to form after a difficult spell on the circuit.

The Kenyan speedster arrives in Paris as the current leader of the Diamond Race standings with 16 points.

Introduced just after the hour mark, Messi received the loudest ovation of the evening before producing another piece of footballing magic.

With Uzbekistan pushing for an equaliser, Wissa produced the final flourish in stoppage time, curling a superb effort into the far corner from the edge of the penalty area to seal a memorable 3-1 victory

Croatia secured second place with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Ghana in a day filled with milestones, records and knockout qualification.

Although the draw benefited Senegal, Iran remains in contention to reach the World Cup knockout stage for the first time in their history.

Messi, who turned 39 on Wednesday, has scored all five of Argentina's goals this tournament and has shown no sign of a hamstring strain he suffered while playing for Inter Miami in May.

Jubilant celebrations erupted when Álex Baena's winner confirmed Uruguay's elimination and Cape Verde's historic passage into the Round of 32.

Knowing only a convincing victory would realistically preserve their chances after defeats to France and Norway, the Lions of Teranga made the perfect start.

The documentary, released a year before the AFCON 2027, focuses on the severe floods that swept through Nairobi's Mathare community in 2024 that damaged homes, claimed lives, and left one of the area's most important football pitches underwater. 

This year's championship marks a historic chapter for African women's football as the tournament expands from 12 to 16 teams for the first time.

With four places already secured by Ecuador, Bosnia, Sweden and Paraguay, only four of the best third-place tickets remain available. Every goal in the remaining group matches could prove decisive as teams fight to extend their World Cup dream into the Round of 32.

The holiday will apply to both the public and private sectors and will not be recoverable, meaning employees will not be required to make up the missed working day.

The victory lifted Ecuador to four points in Group E, enough to guarantee qualification among the best eight third-placed teams while simultaneously denting Scotland's hopes of progressing.

Kenya returns to WAFCON after 10 years as Odemba names a 29-player provisional squad blending experienced players and emerging talent ahead of Morocco 2026.

The AIU said the 30-year-old Kenyan had breached Rule 2.3 ADR on evading, refusing or failing to submit to sample collection and Rule 2.5 ADR on tampering or attempted tampering with any part of doping control.

By reaching the Round of 32 in North America after their famous run in Qatar in 2022, Morocco has become only the third African nation to qualify for the World Cup knockout stage in consecutive tournaments. The other two are Nigeria and Ghana.

South Africa found the decisive moment just after the hour mark. Teshpang Moremi burst down the left and fizzed a pass across the edge of the box for Maseko, who controlled neatly before steering his finish in at the near post.

It was a result Colombia deserved on the balance of chances, but one that owed plenty to the resilience of DR Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi, who produced a string of fine saves to keep the Leopards in the contest for long periods.

The new USD 10,000 (Sh1.29 million) Fit for the Future Olympian Grant will support every Olympic athlete, regardless of medal success, beginning with Milano Cortina 2026.

After a season defined by uncertainty and a battle for survival, the Slum Boys will hope the former Starlets tactician can provide the structure, identity and consistency needed to push the club back toward the upper end of the FKF Premier League table.

Asare has helped Ghana move to the brink of the knockouts. Vozinha turned Cabo Verde from debutants into believers. Mpasi gave DR Congo a chance in a game they spent most of the night defending. Room made history, leading Curaçao to their first-ever World Cup point.

In a goalless draw at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Ghana did more than take a point off England. They strengthened the feeling that they may be building something dangerous at this World Cup.

Chemnung will be returning to Chicago, where she made her marathon debut in October 2025, finishing fourth over 42 kilometres in a time of 2:18:24 behind Ethiopia’s Hawi Feysa and Megertu Alemu, and Tanzania’s Magdalena Shauri, who completed the podium.

Pamela Jelimo has been elevated to silver in the women’s 800m at the London 2012 Olympics after the IOC completed medal reallocation following anti-doping disqualifications.

Soccer’s language is unique and provides fans, coaches and players with a collective understanding of what is happening on the pitch. It may be a casual description of a player’s tactic or technique, or team strategy.

Rice, who helped Arsenal win its first league title in 22 years this season, said he is not worried about tiredness after coming off in the second half in Dallas.

The Kenyan champions sealed the title in style on Saturday with a commanding straight-sets victory over hosts APR WVC, winning 25-17, 25-20, 25-15 at the Petite Stade.

Uganda produced a dominant display at KMC Stadium, defeating Kenya 3-0 in the semi-finals to end the Junior Starlets' hopes of a maiden CECAFA U-17 Women's Championship title and book their place in the final.

FIFA confirmed that Artan would receive the compensation allocated to referees selected for the tournament, recognising the work he had completed during the preparation period before the competition began.

The win means Germany now sit in a strong position to qualify for the next round, while the Ivory Coast will be left to rue missed opportunities after a spirited display ultimately ended in defeat.

Omanyala, the reigning Commonwealth 100m champion, will headline the sprint team as he seeks to defend his title won in Birmingham in 2022. Odira, the world 800m champion, and Cheruiyot, a former world 1,500m champion, are also among the athletes expected to challenge for honours.

The African record holder produced a commanding performance to win the men's final in 10.00 seconds, comfortably ahead of Meshack Babu, who finished second in 10.20, while Mark Otieno settled for third in 10.32.

The result completed a perfect day for the Kenyan club, who had earlier swept aside Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) in straight sets to launch their tournament campaign in style.

The regulation, introduced earlier this year, was designed to prevent players from hiding potentially abusive, discriminatory or offensive language by covering their mouths while speaking during matches.

The victory gave the Americans six points from their opening two matches, ensuring qualification for the round of 32 with one group fixture remaining.

According to FIFA, the milestone illustrates the growth of both the World Cup and international football. The first tournament in 1930 featured 13 teams, while the current edition has expanded to 48.

The World Cup does not resolve the world's quarrels. It briefly suspends them, and in that suspension, we glimpse what we so easily forget: that the things dividing us are smaller than the game we all agreed to love.

FKF has urged all clubs to adhere to the stipulated registration timelines and ensure compliance with competition and licensing requirements ahead of the set deadlines.

The Kenyan side, fresh from securing a bronze medal at the African Club Championship, displayed their class and experience throughout the contest, cruising to a 25-17, 25-18, 25-18 win to get their campaign off to the perfect start.

Current efforts are focused on finalizing ICT systems, broadcast infrastructure and spectator facilities as preparations intensify for AFCON 2027.

CAF estimates that more than 1.5 million fans will travel across the three host nations during the competition, with the tournament expected to reach a global television audience exceeding 3.2 billion viewers.

TikTok users are increasingly posting reactions, tactical analysis, memes, and commentary, turning football into an ongoing online conversation rather than a 90-minute event.

As preparations continue across the three host nations, Wanyama remains optimistic that AFCON 2027 will not only deliver a memorable tournament but also help transform the future of football in Kenya and the wider East African region.

At 34 years old, he became the first Somali referee ever chosen to officiate at football's greatest tournament. It was a landmark achievement not only for him personally but also for Somalia and African football.

Having already defeated South Africa 2-0 in their opening fixture, Javier Aguirre's side knew another victory would secure qualification, but they were made to work hard by a disciplined South Korean team.

The development comes amid an ongoing investigation in France into alleged match-fixing and suspicious betting activity involving Wahi.