MOBUTU’S GIFT TO HEROES: THE 1974 STORY OF ZAIRE’S WORLD CUP TEAM

 

In 1974, Zaire’s national football team—today known as the Democratic Republic of Congo—made history as the first sub-Saharan African nation to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, held that year in West Germany. Their stunning qualification sent waves of pride across the country and caught the attention of President Mobutu Sese Seko, whose government was keen to use sports as a symbol of national strength and identity.

To celebrate the team’s achievement, President Mobutu organized a lavish ceremony in Kinshasa, where each player received a brand-new Volkswagen car, a house, and cash rewards. These gestures served both as a personal thank-you to the players and as part of Mobutu’s broader political theater—a show of prosperity and success under his rule.

Dusan Bajevic inscrit l’un de ses trois buts de la rencontre, face au malheureux gardien Dimbi Tubilandu, entré en jeu en cours de match. STAFF / AFP

At the time, Zaire was deep into Mobutu’s “Authenticité” campaign, a program urging citizens to embrace African cultural identity and reject foreign influence. The players, hailed as national heroes, became the face of this movement, embodying the pride and power of a new Zaire on the global stage.

Yet behind the triumphant display lay pressure and fear. Reports that surfaced later suggested that the government expected nothing short of victory in the World Cup, and when results did not meet expectations, tension and intimidation followed. Some players spoke of unfulfilled promises and threats from political officials—signs of how tightly politics was intertwined with sport during the Mobutu era.

Even so, the 1974 World Cup remains a defining chapter in African football history. It was a moment when the dreams of a nation converged with the ambitions of its leader, leaving behind a legacy that continues to be remembered today—not only for the reward of cars and glory but also for what it revealed about power, pride, and the politics of sport in Africa.

- Muhidin Issa Michuxi

CAF SECRETARY GENERAL RESIGNS AMID AFCON FINAL FALLOUT

 

AFP via Getty Images

The general secretary of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has resigned amid a chaotic time for football on the continent.

Veron Mosengo-Omba said in a statement he was retiring, but his departure comes during the fallout over decisions to strip Senegal of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title and postpone the women's tournament at the last minute.

These incidents have left CAF, the governing body for African football, battling a crisis of confidence.

Mosengo-Omba alluded to controversies faced during his tenure in his statement on Sunday.

"Now that I have been able to dispel the suspicions that some people have gone to great lengths to cast on me, I can retire with peace of mind and without constraint, leaving the CAF more prosperous than ever," Mosengo-Omba, deputy to Caf president Patrice Motsepe, wrote.

The 66-year-old has been criticised for staying on as general secretary past the organisation's mandatory retirement age of 63.

He has also been accused by some employees of creating a toxic atmosphere in the workplace, although an investigation after staff complaints cleared him of any wrongdoing.

Mosengo-Omba, who hails from the Democratic Republic of Congo but also holds Swiss nationality, was appointed general secretary in March 2021.

According to news agency Reuters, Caf's competitions director, Samson Adamu, will take over as acting general secretary.

The governing body is awaiting a decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Senegal's appeal against being stripped of the Afcon title.

Senegal is challenging CAF's appeals body for overturning their 1-0 win over hosts Morocco in January's Afcon final.

During the game, Senegal's players left the field in protest when, with the score at 0-0, hosts Morocco were awarded a stoppage-time penalty.

When they returned after a delay of about 17 minutes, Morocco subsequently failed to score the spot-kick and Senegal netted an extra-time winner.

Following an appeal by the Moroccan FA (FRMF), Caf later ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match and Morocco were awarded a 3-0 victory.

- Wedaeli Chibelushi

AFCON DAY 3: NIGERIA, SENEGAL, TUNISIA WIN BIG; DR CONGO IN VAR CONTROVERSY

Four former champions in Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia and the Democratic Republic of Congo - all of whom harbour title ambitions this time around - began their Africa Cup of Nations campaigns with victories on Tuesday, although Benin were left ruing a malfunctioning VAR that may have cost them a draw.

In Tangier, Senegal gave an early statement of their title credentials as a Nicolas Jackson double saw them sail past Botswana, the lowest ranked team in the competition, 3-0.

The Bayern Munich man finished smartly in the 40th minute after Ismail Jakobs' cutback and then added a brace with another calm finish beyond Goitseone Phoko before the hour mark. Cherif Ndiaye added a third at the death.

Cem Ozdel/Anadolu via Getty Images

Jackson, Sadio Mane and Iliman Ndiaye could all have broken the deadlock for Senegal earlier during a rampant first half showing by the 2021 champions, with the overworked Phoko requiring to be on hand to make several key stops.

"We could have scored more," reflected Senegal coach Pape Thiaw, "but what stands out is my team's commitment and discipline.

"What I take away from the match is the team's professionalism, they followed instructions and got the job done."

It takes them up to top spot in Group D ahead of their meeting with the Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday, although the latter also affirmed why they are being considered one of the tournament dark horses with a 1-0 victory over Benin in Rabat.

Theo Bongonda's early goal proved the difference-maker between the two sides, with the Spartak Moscow winger beating Saturnin Allagbe with a calm finish after reacting quickest to a defensive miscalculation by defender Yohan Roche.

However, there was no shortage of controversy in the fixture, with Benin left seething after a handball by DRC skipper Chancel Mbemba was missed in the box, with officials later acknowledging they had not been able to check the incident due to VAR malfunctioning.

It was not entirely clear on replay whether the ball made contact with the veteran defender's shoulder or arm, but while South African referee Abongile Tom jogged over to the pitch side monitor to examine the footage, he was unable to view any images as the VAR system broke down.

The official had earlier used VAR to rule out a header by DR Congo forward Cedric Bakambu following an extended review.

It's an error that leaves Benin with a brooding sense of injustice and they'll be determined to make amends when they face Botswana at Rabat's Olympic Stadium this weekend.

"We witnessed a very good football match that did not deserve to have a loser," Benin head coach Gernot Rohr told journalists. "My team made me proud.

"We now prepare well for the match against Botswana, with the advantage of having our suspended players back."

Over in Group C, Nigeria began their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Tanzania in rainy Fes, although the Super Eagles didn't have things entirely their own way despite dominating the early stages of the contest.

With goalkeeper Zuberi 'Foba' Masudi in inspired form, and Samuel Chukwueze and Victor Osimhen spurning chances aplenty, it fell to Man of the Match Semi Ajayi to break the deadlock when he rose unmarked to head an Alex Iwobi cross into the corner of the Tanzanian net.

Osimhen thought he'd added a second moments after the break, only for VAR to rule him offside by the tightest of margins, and Nigeria were stunned moments later when Kokola M'Mombwa broke the Eagles' offside trap to finish beyond Stanley Nwabali.

Tanzania's hopes of holding onto a draw lasted a mere two minutes: Ademola Lookman swivelled on the edge of their box and lashed home powerfully beyond Masudi to take back the lead, and with it the three points.

"We're happy, and the most important thing at the AFCON is to improve in every game," Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle told ESPN. "So now, after the analysis we'll do tonight or tomorrow, we'll continue to improve.

"We have to improve defensively, of course, put in more movement when we don't have the ball, and when we have it. I congratulate my players, but we have a lot of work."

Next up for the Nigeria are Tunisia, who began their tournament in style by easing past Uganda 3-1 in Rabat.

Ellyes Skhiri opened the scoring for Tunisia after ten minutes amidst some testing weather conditions in the Moroccan capital, before goals from Elias Achouri either side of halftime made sure of victory.

Denis Omedi pulled one back for Uganda in the second minute of stoppage time, although both Uganda and Tanzania will know - ahead of their December 27 meeting in Rabat - that victory in that game week two fixture will likely decide whether their tournament will extend beyond the group stage.

"We showed them too much respect," Uganda head coach Paul Put bemoaned after the match. "This is a bad start. I think we weren't aggressive enough, but you're playing at the AFCON, you need to win your duels.

"We know what we need to do in our next game," he added. "We'll be playing under pressure, a draw will not be enough, but I do believe that we can bounce back."

What's coming up on Day Four?

Cameroon versus Gabon is the standout fixture on Wednesday, with the two Central African neighbours set to meet in Agadir following the earlier Group F clash between reigning champions Ivory Coast and Mozambique in Marrakesh.

Algeria and Sudan meet in Rabat in Group E, while Burkina Faso will take on Equatorial Guinea in Casablanca in the day's early kickoff.

- Ed Dove, ESPN

ARSENAL SET TO END VISIT RWANDA AGREEMENT FOLLOWING EIGHT-YEAR PARTNERSHIP

November 20 – One of the most controversial sleeve jersey sponsorship deals in the Premier League has come to an end with Arsenal confirming that their eight-year partnership with Visit Rwanda will finish at the end of the season.

The deal, which made Visit Rwanda the club’s first sleeve sponsor, never sat comfortably with a section of the fanbase. In April, a supporter group launched a campaign to scrap the agreement, even putting up a satirical “Visit Tottenham” billboard outside the Emirates before a match against Crystal Palace.

Political and social issues were also a driving force in terminating the partnership. In February, the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo urged Arsenal to drop the sponsorship after Rwandan-backed rebels seized the city of Goma, while Arsenal’s LGBTQ+ supporters’ group, Gay Gooners, welcomed the decision not to renew.

“As a group, we have been uncomfortable with the deal from the start and made significant representations to Arsenal through official channels since 2021,” the group said.

“In a survey of our 2,500+ worldwide membership in July, only 2 per cent of respondents thought the £10m-a-year Visit Rwanda sponsorship should be renewed. 86 per cent wanted the contract to end and a replacement found. Some members highlighted Rwanda’s record on LGBT+ human rights.”

Arsenal Chief Executive Richard Garlick thanked the Rwanda Development Board for the partnership and pointed to the progress made over the eight-year run.

“Our first-ever sleeve partnership with Visit Rwanda has been a significant journey,” he said. “Over many years, we’ve worked together to raise global awareness of Rwanda’s tourism and conservation efforts and built many new connections with our supporters across Africa.

“The commitment and support of Visit Rwanda throughout our partnership has played an important role in driving forward our ambitions… We thank the Rwanda Development Board for their partnership and what we’ve delivered together.”

- Inside World Football

MIKE TYSON VISITS HIS ANCESTRAL HOME | CELEBRATES 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF "RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE" | DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

 

Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson arrived in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, on Saturday (October 18th) to participate in ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations of the legendary "Rumble in the Jungle" fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.

Tyson, who is considered one of Ali's spiritual successors, held a press conference at the newly renamed Ali-Foreman Stadium, formerly known as Stade Tata Raphaël. 

The event is part of a month-long celebration organized by DIVO International, with support from the Congolese government and the U.S. Embassy in the DRC.

During the press conference, Tyson expressed his enthusiasm for being part of the historic event, stating his desire to be in the same venue where Ali and Foreman fought. 

He reminisced about the excitement surrounding the original fight, which took place when he was nine years old.

The anniversary celebrations, which will culminate on October 30th with the official renaming of the stadium, include various cultural and sporting events. 

- Reuters 

DRC CONGO ASKS CLUBS TO END VISIT RWANDA SPONSORSHIP, BAYERN, PSG TO END RWANDA SPONSORSHIP

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s foreign minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner has urged soccer clubs Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Paris St Germain to end their "blood-stained" sponsorship agreements with "Visit Rwanda" following the worsening humanitarian crisis in the country.

The DR Congo health ministry said on Saturday there were almost 800 bodies in hospital morgues around Goma following the offensive by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels to seize east Congo's largest city, home to lucrative gold, coltan and tin mines.

The latest escalation has worsened a long-standing humanitarian crisis that has driven hundreds of thousands to seek shelter in Goma after fleeing fighting between M23 and Congolese troops.

The fighting has led to human rights violations including summary executions, the bombing of displacement camps, reports of gang rape and other sexual violence, according to the United Nations.

Wagner wrote to the three clubs this week and questioned the morality of their sponsorship deals, citing a U.N. report that suggested there were 4,000 Rwandan troops active in DR Congo.

"Thousands are currently trapped in the city of Goma with restricted access to food, water, and security," Wagner said in her letters to the clubs, according to a media statement from her ministry on Sunday.

Democratic Republic of Congo's foreign minister Therese  Kayikwamba speaks during a National Security Council meeting. Reuters 

"Countless lives have been lost; rape, murder and theft prevail. Your sponsor is directly responsible for this misery. If not for your own consciences, then the clubs should do it (end their sponsorship agreement) for the victims of Rwandan aggression."

Rwanda says it is defending itself, accusing Congo's military of joining forces with ethnic Hutu-led militias bent on slaughtering Tutsis in Congo and threatening Rwanda, where Hutus targeted Tutsis in a 1994 genocide and some later fled to Congo.

Congo denies this and accuses Rwanda of using M23 to pillage valuable minerals from Congolese territory.

"Visit Rwanda" began their sponsorship of Arsenal in 2018, with the latest deal reported to be worth more than 10 million pounds ($12.39 million) per year.

Bayern Munich signed a five-year football development and tourism promotion partnership with Rwanda in 2023, while "Visit Rwanda" has been a sponsor of PSG since 2019.

Reuters has contacted the three clubs and "Visit Rwanda" for comment.

British foreign minister David Lammy told parliament on Tuesday Rwanda received over $1 billion in global aid every year, including around 32 million pounds of bilateral UK assistance, but "all of that is under threat when you attack your neighbours."

($1 = 0.8071 pounds)

- Reuters 

TANZANIA HOPES OF HISTORIC AFCON VICTORY DASHED BY 10-MAN ZAMBIA

San-Pédro (Ivory Coast) (AFP) – Tanzania had hopes of a first Africa Cup of Nations win after 44 years dashed when 10-man Zambia snatched a late 1-1 Group F draw in San-Pedro on Sunday.

Simon Msuva (L) of Tanzania shields the ball from Lameck Banda of Zambia. © SIA KAMBOU / AFP

 

Simon Msuva scored after 11 minutes for Tanzania, but Zambia overcame the red-carding of captain Roderick Kabwe before half-time to equalise on 88 minutes through Patson Daka.

Earlier on Sunday, Morocco and the Democratic Republic of Congo also drew 1-1, leaving all four teams with a chance of qualifying for the knockout stage.

Morocco have four points, DR Congo and Zambia two each and Tanzania one ahead of the final group matches on Wednesday in the Ivory Coast.

Tanzania were coached by caretaker Hemed Suleiman after Adel Amrouche was suspended by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), then fired by the Tanzanian Football Federation.

CAF banned the Algerian coach for eight matches after he claimed in a TV interview that Moroccan officials were influencing the appointment of match officials and kick-off times.

Both teams showed three changes after disappointing debuts four days ago in a group including shock 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco.

Tanzania collapsed against Morocco in the closing stages when reduced to 10 men by a red card and fell 3-0 while Zambia were fortunate to draw 1-1 with DR Congo.

Since stunning the Ivory Coast in a 2012 final decided by a penalty shootout, Zambia have failed to win in eight Cup of Nations matches, and did not qualify for the past three editions.