by FSL News | 25 Apr, 2020 | African News
World football governing body, FIFA has confirmed it will release $150 million to 211 national football governing bodies around the world in a bid to help handle financial troubles caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The pandemic has caused unprecedented challenges for the entire football community and, as the world governing body, FIFA must be there and support the ones that are facing acute needs,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
“This starts by providing immediate financial assistance to our member associations, many of which are experiencing severe financial distress.
“Each national governing body will receive $500,000, that FIFA says would normally be delivered “upon fulfilment of specific criteria”, but will release those funds and any “remaining entitlement for 2019 and 2020,” he added.
The funds come from the Forward 2.0 programme, which was launched in 2016 and will provide $1.746 billion (around 1.6 billion euros) in total over the 2019-2022 period. Last month FIFA announced the creation of a football aid fund but it has since not given any additional details on its operation or scope.
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by FSL News | 18 Apr, 2020 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
An inquiry has been requested into the death of a local footballer in Sierra Leone, Edmond Bangura – aged 24 – with concerns that he may have been the victim of coronavirus, BBC Sport reports.
Goalkeeper Bangura, who played for FC Johansen, died in the early hours on Friday in a Freetown hospital.
“A close relative of Edmond informed me that our player passed away in hospital and died of asthma and hypertension,” said club president Isha Johansen, who also heads the local FA (SLFA).
Johansen has asked the SLFA to conduct an inquiry to determine the exact cause of death.
So far, Sierra Leone has had no confirmed deaths, but 26 reported cases of coronavirus, which severely affects those with underlying health conditions, including asthma.
“Edmond’s death affects the entire football family at a crucial and unprecedented time like this,” added Johansen.
“We need to know what exactly took the life of a seemingly-active young footballer up to three-four weeks ago when he was training with his club.”
“This is a very sad day for all of us. He was one of our finest and longest-serving players.”
Bangura will be buried on Sunday but it is unclear how many people will be able to attend his funeral.
Sierra Leone is currently undergoing a 14-day curfew which bars people from going out between seven in the morning and nine at night in a bid to control the pandemic.
FC Johansen staff and other members of the football family are refraining from paying respects of the home of the deceased as a precautionary measure against the possible spread of the virus.
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by FSL News | 18 Apr, 2020 | African News
Turkish Super Lig table-toppers Trabzonspor have identified Kelechi Iheanacho as one of the potential targets to replace Alexander Sorloth, who is being linked with a summer move to Liverpool.
Joining the Leicester City star on the shortlist are Aston Villa’s Wesley and Newcastle United’s Joelinton, Fotospor has reported.
Trabzonspor manager Hüseyin Cimşir and his scouting team have handed the list containing the names of the three strikers to President Ahmet Agaoglu.
Given how Iheanacho has been decisive from the bench this season, Leicester City higher-ups are unlikely to approve his sale.
Should City agree to do business, Trabzonspor will have to break their transfer record to sign the former Manchester City starlet, who is valued at 12 million euros by transfermarkt.
Iheanacho arrived at Leicester City in August 2017 for a fee in the region of £25 million and has roughly two more years to run on his contract.
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by FSL News | 10 Apr, 2020 | African News
The ongoing measures to combat the spread of Covid-19 have resulted in little football of late and, consequently, next-to-no movement in the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking.
A whole raft of international fixtures, including qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup™ and other major tournaments, were postponed, while dates were redrawn for showpiece men’s events such as the Olympic Football Tournament, CONMEBOL Copa America and UEFA EURO.
Amid this upheaval, the Ranking was impacted by just four matches – all friendlies – and, as such, remains all but identical to the previous edition. The solitary change sees South Sudan move into joint-168th position with Bermuda after the latter dropped a Ranking point thanks to a 2-0 defeat in Jamaica (48th, unchanged) on 11 March.
The five other teams involved in friendly matches since the global ladder’s last update were Panama (played twice – 81st, unchanged), Uzbekistan (85th, unchanged), Belarus (87th, unchanged), Guatemala (130th, unchanged) and Nicaragua (151st, unchanged).
Further information about how the FIFA/Coca-Cola Ranking is calculated can be found by clicking HERE.
Africa’s Top 10: Senegal 20th, Tunisia 27th, Nigeria 31st, Algeria 35th, Morocco 43rd, Ghana 46th Egypt 51st, Cameroon 53, Mali 56th, and DR Congo 56th.
The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on 11 June 2020.
Source: Fifa.com – Connect with us @football_sierra, on Facebook/ Instagram Football Sierra Leone.
by FSL News | 3 Apr, 2020 | Players Abroad News
Sierra Leone defender, Umaru Zangally Bangura has been named in the Best African XI to have ever played in the Belarusian Premier League.
The Leone Stars skipper spent a total of three seasons in the top-flight.
Bangura first landed in the Vysheyshaya Liga in 2014 where he made a total of 30 appearances, he went on to play in the respective two seasons before leaving the club.
In August 2016 he signed a three years contract with Swiss club FC Zürich and made his league debut for the club on 22 August 2016 in a 1–0 home victory over Neuchâtel Xamax. He was subbed on for Armando Sadiku in the 84th minute.
The 32-year-old scored his first league goal for the club on 2 October 2016 in a 5–0 away victory over FC Wohlen. His goal, scored in the 61st minute, made the score 4–0 to Zürich.
African Best XI in Belarus named
Goalkeeper: Issa Ndoye (Senegal)-‘Slavia’ (2017).
Left-back: Godfrey Stephen Bitok (Nigeria)- Isloch (2019-present)
Central defender: Gabi Kiki (Cameroon)- Dnipro (2017-18), Dynamo Brest (2018 – present)
Central defender: Umaru Bangura (Sierra Leone)- Dynamo Minsk (2014-16)
Right-back: Paul Bebe King (Cameroon) Neman (2015-19)
Defensive midfielder: Pascal Mendi (Senegal)- Partizan (2010), Dynamo Brest (2011), Torpedo-BelAZ (2012-13)
Midfielder: Bruno Mbanangoy (Gabon)- Dynamo Minsk (2006-09, 2011-12)
Midfielder: Adam Soro (Côte d’Ivoire)- MTZ-Ripo (2006-08), Minsk (2009-11), Shakhtar (2013-14), Neman (2015)
Midfielder: Abubakar Camara (Guinea)- MTZ-Ripo (2007-11), Minsk (2012)
Striker: Momo Yansane (Guinea)- Isloch (2019 – present)
Striker: Joel Fameyeh (Ghana)- Belshina (2016), Dynamo Brest (2016-19)
Source: The Journal NewsPaper Sierra Leone – Connect with us @football_sierra, on Facebook/ Instagram Football Sierra Leone.
by FSL News | 3 Apr, 2020 | Players Abroad News
Belgian Sint Truiden striker, Mohamed Buya Turay has been identified as a potential transfer target for Scottish giant, Rangers, according to the UK Daily Record.
“Many clubs have been interested in Buya Turay, but right now he belongs to Sint-Truiden. Whatever happens this summer we must talk about it then,” Tunkara told Expressen, as quoted by the Daily Record.
“There has been a lot of interest from many clubs. The interest is huge. Everyone knows that Buya Turay is a fantastic player who works hard.”
The Sierra Leone international is currently contracted to Belgian side Sint-Truiden but spent the last year on loan at Swedish side Djurgardens, where he scored important goals including the title equalising goal.
Since leaving the Swedish Champions Turay has not played a single game for his parent club in Saint-Truidense Belgium where he made six appearances with a goal to his name before his Djurgården loan spell in January 2019.
Related Player News!
Buya Turay issues come-and-get-me plea to Djurgården
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