24 countries have qualified for prestigious continental Africa Cup of Nations holding in Cote D’Ivoire next year. All 24 countries will justle for the golden cup.

The tournament will feature 12 former AFCON champions with Nigeria, a three-time champion not left out.

From the West coast of the continent, we have the hosts, Cote d’Ivoire, current champion Senegal, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea and others.

East Africa has Tanzania returning for a second finals after a brave showing in the qualifiers.

From the Northern coast of African, we have seven-time champions Egypt, World Cup semi-finalists Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria.

The tournament will take place from January 13 to February 11, 2024, after it was postponed from it’s original June, 2023 date.

The full list of 24 qualified countries include:

1. Algeria
2. Angola
3. Burkina Faso,
4. Cameroon
5. Cape Verde
6. Cote d’Ivoire (Hosts)
7. DR Congo.
8. Egypt
9. Equatorial Guinea
10. The Gambia
11. Ghana
12. Guinea
13. Guinea-Bissau
14. Mali
15. Mauritania
16. Morocco
17. Mozambique
18. Namibia
19. Nigeria
20. Senegal (Title Holders)
21. South Africa,
22. Tanzania
23. Tunisia and
24. Zambia.

The Spanish government on Wednesday demanded transparency and urgent action from the country’s football federation against president Luis Rubiales over his kiss on the lips of a Women’s World Cup player.The Spanish football federation chief has been heavily criticised for planting a kiss on the lips of Spain player, Jenni Hermoso, following her team’s triumph in the final against England in Sydney on Sunday.

The RFEF on Tuesday called an emergency meeting for Friday and activated an internal investigation into the incident, amid mounting pressure to take action against Rubiales.

“I imagine that what the responsible people will do is talk to the two parties involved and issue a report,” Francos told radio station Cadena Ser.

“I have personally told the federation this report has to be transparent and urgent, because, if it is not, obviously we are obliged to take the corresponding additional measures.”

Rubiales, 46, initially attacked his critics before eventually apologising but the criticism of his behaviour has not abated.Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Tuesday that Rubiales’ apology for the kiss was insufficient.

Source:AFP

Victor Osimhen has been on Manchester United transfer shortlist on their hunt for a. Ew striker after Cristiano Ronaldo left the club by mutual consent last November.

The Nigeria international, 24, scored 31 goals for Napoli last season, including 26 in the league. That helped the Italian giants lift their first Serie A title in 33 years and left several top European clubs, such as Manchester United, keen on signing Osimhen.

It’s believed Osimhen is willing to sign a new contract, as Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is refusing to sell him this summer. Yet the striker wants a release clause inserted into his new deal to allow him to fulfil his “dream” of playing in the Premier League.

Osimhen has just two years left on his existing deal and Napoli don’t want to risk losing him on the cheap in a year’s time.

As reported by Sky in Italy, contract talks between Osimhen’s agent Roberto Calenda and De Laurentiis are progressing. Yet the two parties are struggling to agree on the release clause.

That’s because Napoli want his release clause to be set far higher, at £173million (€200m) €200m. That figure would effectively render the clause a moot point as top clubs won’t go near it. The Serie A champions don’t want to lose Osimhen for anything other than a profit, having paid Lille around £70m for his services three years ago.

But Victor Osimhen wants a £103.8million (€120m) release clause inserted into a new Napoli contract.

If Napoli agree to a £103.8m release clause and a Premier League club hits it, then Napoli will have no choice, despite a defiant De Laurentiis, speaking in May after Napoli’s Serie A triumph, declaring: “I will not sell Victor Osimhen this summer, no way!”Yet the player’s “dream” is to play in the Premier League, as he admitted in March. “I think playing in one of the top five leagues in the world is an amazing feeling for me,” the former Wolfsburg striker told Sky Sports.”A lot of people worldwide consider the Premier League as the best and the strongest league, but now I’m in one of the best leagues in the world which is the Italian Serie A.

“I’m working so hard to make sure that I achieve my dream of playing in the Premier League some day, but like I said, it’s a process and I just want to keep on this momentum and continue to do well.”

Chelsea have previously been linked with Osimhen, but it’s Man Utd who are most in need of a striker. Cristiano Ronaldo left Old Trafford last November and was temporarily replaced by Wout Weghorst, but he’s since returned to parent club Burnley.

Source: mirror.co.uk