Maher Mezahi

Mostly covering sport in (North) Africa. Contributing sports editor @africasacountry, hosting @africanfiveside podcast.

[Maher Mezahi @MezahiMaher]

This week on The Ligue 1 Show, we put a twist on previewing this weekend's "Le Classique" between Olympique de Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain

We're in Algiers, underlining Mediterranean culture, and stressing the commonalities between l'OM and Algerian football

[Clash Report @clashreport]

Brazilian President Lula:

The end of online betting is already having a positive impact on the economy. Without spending money on gambling, families have increased their consumption.

Online betting destroyed lives and must remain in the past, like a nightmare from which Brazil has finally awakened.

[Eric Njiru ⚽️ @EricNjiiru]

The government obviously needs to make up the cost of bringing Bayern Munich and Ajax to Nairobi but there's need to understand who the real football fan in Kenya is.

One of the reasons why original European football jerseys don't get sold in Nairobi and why DStv has had to reduce prices is because the local football fan is used to buying match tickets for an average price of Ksh200. Charging these fans Ksh2,500 for “a government event to open a taxpayer-funded stadium” feels like daylight robbery but that's the reality because it’s not cheap to bring a Ballon d'Or winner, World Class players and a former Man United player to East Africa.

Just two weeks ago Kenyans complained of ‘exhorbintant’ ticket prices for the match between the Harambee Stars and South Africa which was set at Ksh500 against the routine Ksh300.

Tickets will still sell as in recent times the national team has attracted a different calibre of fan compared to the regular Kenyan Premier League attendee. However, going by the reality on the ground, Ksh2500 is too expensive for a regular KPL fan but again this is an expensive product.

[Africa Is a Country @africasacountry]

It's true, we were there: https://t.co/89O006tZaC

[CAF @CAF_Online]

The #TotalEnergiesAFCON is back to every two years. 🏆

Full story: https://t.co/dNpuEs9W8K

[CAF Media @CAF_Media]

The Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”) Executive Committee (“EXCO”) today unanimously decided that the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (“AFCON”) will return to taking place every Two Years.

The President of CAF Dr Patrice Motsepe announced at the CAF Strategy Conference in Cabo Verde which was held from 7-9 October 2026, that the CAF EXCO would be re-assessing and reconsidering the decision it took last year, for the AFCON to take place every Four Years.

https://t.co/fYNKBPhPae

[Reuters @Reuters]

Algeria to send troops to Niger in first foreign deployment since 1973 https://t.co/O4EB9uq5MF https://t.co/O4EB9uq5MF

[Maher Mezahi @MezahiMaher]

Last week, CAF stood by Infantino after his failed FFE $4.2B sell-off plan. @adekaiyaoja argues that sticking with Infantino wasn’t the mistake, per se. Handing over 54 votes and asking for nothing back was.

https://t.co/t3qu71qft9

[Maher Mezahi @MezahiMaher]

I also wrote up Adil Hamdani, although he isn't African in footballing terms (yet)

Honourable mentions:

- 🇫🇷 (🇩🇿) Djibril Ouziad
- 🇩🇿 Kenzy Amoura
- 🇩🇿 Mouhammad Valmy
- 🇲🇦 Ziyad Baha
- 🇸🇳 Sega Fall Mbodj
- 🇸🇳 Sidy Barhama Ndiaye
- 🇧🇫 Mohamed Zongo
- 🇳🇬 Richard Ajayi

[Maher Mezahi @MezahiMaher]

As has become tradition, I've been asked to write up profiles for Africa's top U17 talent (born in 2009). Here's your class of 2026:

🇲🇦 Abdellah Ouazane
🇳🇬 Ebenezer Harcourt
🇸🇳 Cheikh Dieng
🇨🇮 Hubert Yao Kouassi
🇹🇳 Slim Bouaskar
🇲🇱 Ismael Kamissoko

https://t.co/i6J6t1ADkV

[Osasu Obayiuwana @osasuo]

Breaking: The Court of Arbitration for Sport will sit to hear the
legal case to determine the winner of the #AFCON 2025 final on Thursday, 8th October in Lausanne.

Lawyers from the @Fsfofficielle, @FRMFOFFICIEL and @CAF_Online will be present, for the legal arguments.

“The hearing is scheduled to begin at 9:30am and expected to end in the afternoon. After the hearing, the Panel will start its deliberations. CAS cannot state when a final decision will be rendered but it will not be on the day of the hearing,” CAS say.

The arbitrators constituting the CAS Panel are as follows:
Professor Gérald Simon as President (France)
Professor Luigi Fumagalli (Italy)
Professor Dr. Ulrich Haas (Germany)

The media will not be admitted to the hearing.

[Maher Mezahi @MezahiMaher]

Recapping Matchday 2 of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers

- Diagnosing what could be wrong with Tunisian football
- Senegal's tricky trip to Addis
- Morocco cruising in Lesotho
- Cameroon's growing pains under David Pagou

https://t.co/gE40FT6oHu

[Équipe d'Algérie de football @LesVerts]

فنان فوق المستطيل الأخضر ومبدع خلف العدسة !👌🏻
اكتشفوا موهبة مازة الجديدة 📸🇩🇿

An artist on the pitch and creative behind the lens!
Discover Maza’s new talent 📸🇩🇿

#LesVerts ⭐️⭐️ | #123VivaLAlgérie 🇩🇿

[Simon Hughes @Simon_Hughes__]

In Debrecen. Every Irish player bowing their head for the Israeli national anthem.

[Karim Zidan 🕊️ @ZidanSports]

The Ireland-Israel fixtures expose the hypocrisy of the sport's balancing act on Palestine and the illusion that “football unites the world.”

My latest for @SportsPolitika https://t.co/VopfPFudBR

[Africa Is a Country @africasacountry]

With the return of AFCON qualifiers, @MezahiMaher also kicks off this season's coverage of African football on the @AfricanFiveSide podcast https://t.co/GTmzeqt1VG

[Maher Mezahi @MezahiMaher]

This week on The Ligue 1 Show, we put a twist on previewing this weekend's "Le Classique" between Olympique de Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain

We're in Algiers, underlining Mediterranean culture, and stressing the commonalities between l'OM and Algerian football

[Maher Mezahi @MezahiMaher]

Anis Hadj Moussa is much too good for the Eredivisie

[Shanksuu. 🇩🇿⏳🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 #23Rotterdam @Shemsou_23]

OH LE BUT EN SOLO D’ANIS HADJ MOUSSA !!!!!!!

Quel joueur 🇩🇿🪄

[Maher Mezahi @MezahiMaher]

@TheSharpeEnd Great piece, James

[James Sharpe @TheSharpeEnd]

🇩🇿🗣️ "Did you watch the Hull game?!"

🐯 Mo Belloumi's turned #hcafc into Algeria's fave team
🪄 insiders reveal all about 'quiet magician'
🐚 new faces helping him show his personality
🌟 how legendary dad Lakhdar gave him elite mindset
https://t.co/FAv0dhb2xY

[Maher Mezahi @MezahiMaher]

@AliMoncef Never heard of Riahi or Gnaoui, but of course I knew about Ben Bouali.