Logo





  About us
  Advertising
  Privacy
  Terms
  Directory
  Submit Feed
  Analytics
  Trending
  Bias
  Trust Ranking
  API

The Guardian // Sport // Football

Football Daily | Stand up, if you love Afcon! Caf decision baffling after vintage edition

Friday 16th January 2026, 4:17PM

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations reaches its big finale in 2026 on Sunday, having rolled on through the annual festive time warp, outlasting Enzo Maresca, Ruben Amorim and Ryan Mason Xabi Alonso. Some Premier League teams will have played games in four different competitions by the time they welcome their players home. Wedged into the domestic calendar’s most crowded months, Afcon can get overlooked and more’s the pity, because the 2025-26 tournament has been a vintage edition. The group stage may have lacked big surprises but was still packed with late twists, ridiculous goals and dramatic storylines. Two different coaches named Cameroon squads amid a pre-tournament power struggle; their first opponents, Gabon, were disbanded by their government after going out early (a decision quietly reversed this week). Sudan and Mozambique earned historic victories, bringing light to fans suffering through conflict. We were introduced to Kuka Mboladinga, the sharply-dressed, statuesque DR Congo fan who we all hope will make it to next summer’s Geopolitics World Cup.Re: yesterday’s Football Daily. When will the Football League realise that a one-legged Carling Cup

Full Story