With an air of unease hanging over the tournament, the African Cup of Nations soccer competition returns to Gabon for the second time in five years. Opposition parties in the oil-rich central African nation have stated their intention to use African soccer's biggest show as an opportunity to express their grievances against Gabon President Ali Bongo Ondimba, who retained power in a tense election last August that led to about 100 deaths on the streets, according to opposition claims. That gives

New York Red Bulls defender Gideon Baah says Ghana's poor start in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers cannot be used as an index in measuring how the Black Stars will fare at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. Ghana managed to pick one point from the available six and find themselves five points behind leaders Egypt in third place. There are fears the team have plummeted and face early elimination against Group opponents Uganda, Mali and Egypt in Gabon. "We shouldn't judge the Black

Ghana head coach Avram Grant has spoken about his Black Stars side's preparation ahead of the start of the 2017 AFCON tournament. The Israeli gaffer has stated the four-time winners are not ready for the tournament despite brushing aside Uzbekistan side Bunyodkor 2-0 in a friendly on Tuesday. Grant has talked up his side's chances of winning the title in the video below. Watch... VIDEO: Avram Grant on afcon hopes, THAT BLUE shirt and why he is growing a BEARD #AFCON2017 #CAN2017

Head coach of Egypts national team Hector Cuper is of the view that even though playing in the Cup of Nations is prestigious his target is to qualify for the World Cup in 2018. The Pharaohs hold a commanding lead against the highly fancied Black Stars after beating them 2-0 in Alexandria. We are back in our habitat. Egypt has won the Africa Cup of Nations seven times and qualifying for the tournament is the least we could do. Our big goal is the 2018 World Cup since we havent qualified to

Ghana coach Avram Grant whose job has been on the line in the last eight months will be hoping to win the Cup of Nations to appease the millions of Ghanaians who have grown frustrated with his tenure as the Black Stars boss. The Black Stars have been very disappointing in their last six games and will be hoping for good form in Gabon. It was just over a month ago that Egypt and Ghana were at each others throats in the World Cup qualifiers and they will be back at it when the African Cup of

Ghana Premier league champions, WA All Stars, rounded off their preparation ahead of their friendly clash with Sudanese giants Al Hilal on Wednesday evening. The Ghanaians arrived in Khartoum on Tuesday dawn for the scheduled friendly game with the Crescents on January 12, 2017 at the Al Hilal Stadium in Omdurman. Led by head coach Enos Adepa Kwame, the reigning Ghanaian champions could not have geared up for the international friendly in any better mood. After going through a series of

Chicago Fire star David Accam has not hidden his exasperation after being dropped from Ghana's squad for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. The nine-goal striker in the Major League Soccer regular season last term was excluded from the provisional 26-man squad after training in Accra with the team. He was also named the club's Player of the Year for the second consecutive time. "I was disappointed when i got the news that i was not part of Ghana squad for the AFCON,'' the

The Black Stars of Ghana will again be one of the favourites for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations as they aim to clinch a fifth title after their last triumph 35 years ago. Regarded as Africas Brazil, Ghana are one of the most successful teams in the continents football showpiece event having won it in 1963, 1965, 1978 and 1982. However, they have since fallen short of standing on the podium again after they were beaten in the championship games for the 2010 and 2015 editions. They also reached

Residents of Tamale will be enjoying Premier League Football in the Northern Regional capital for the first time in about six years as Bolga All Stars have confirmed they will be playing their home matches in the 2017 season in the regional capital. Already, the Tamale Sports Stadium will be hosting the 2017 CAF Champions League matches as Wa All Stars have adopted the venue as their home ground for the continental games. According to the official website of the Bolga-based side, "...the

Former Ghana and Bayern Munich star Samuel Osei Kuffour will be mindful of his vows this time as he returns to SuperSport for his punditry role during the 2017 Afcon in Gabon. Kuffour in 2015 got shaved on live TV as he had vowed within the Supersports studios that Ghana will clinch the Afcon title and had insistsed he is shaved should the Black Stars fail. Hes back once again joining a list of top flight African soccer heroes to discuss, analyse and rate the teams at this years AFCON tournament.

Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan and coach Avram Grant shared their thoughts about the team's pre-Africa Cup of Nations friendly win over Uzbek side Bunyodkor. Gyan, who is on loan at UAE side Al Ahli, came off the bench to score in the 2-0 victory. He spoke about the positives of the win and how that can be a spring board for a successful tournament Grant eulogized Gyan who his contributions after helping the Black Stars to break down a stubborn opponent....

Sudan-based Ghanaian trio Augustine Okrah, Abednego Tetteh and Ezekiel Tetteh have made donations Wa All Stars who are in the country for a friendly. Items presented to theGhanaian champions include energy drinks, bottled water and confectioneries. They are getting ready to face giants Al Hilal in an exhibition match on Thursday in Khartoum. Okrah and Tetteh will play for the Crescent in the match. Tetteh signed for Ahli Shendy this season after moving from Atbara....

Aston Villa fans have reacted on Twitter to news claiming Jordan Ayew could leave- and it appears they will be happy to see him leave. Chinese outfit Shanghai SIPG have registered their interest in the striker, who has struggled this season. Representative of Ghana international have been busy discussing his future with reports suggesting he may have played his last game for the Villans. Villa could buckle under pressure to sell following the huge financial benefit to the club as they will

Atltico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey is among 16 La Liga stars heading to Gabon for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. The 23-year-old is expected to be key for coach Avram Grant ahead of the start of the tournament on Saturday. The Ghana international has impressed at the Spanish outfit but will miss the La Liga next three weeks to the continental showpiece. Joining the Spain-based players traveling to Gabon for the tournament are Cdric Bakambu (DRC and Villarreal) and Pape Diop (Senegal

Aston Villa striker Jordan Ayew could be tempted into abig-money move to China, with rich-mega club Shanghai SIPG keen to break bank to bring the Ghanaian. The ambitious Chinese outfit have registered their interest in the striker, who has struggled this season,The Birmingham Mail reports. Representative of Ghana international have been busy discussing his future with reports suggesting he may have played his last game for the Villans. Villa could buckle under pressure to sell following

Uganda have been handed a massive reality check ahead of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations after being whipped 3-0 by champions Ivory Coast in a build-up match Wednesday in Abu Dhabi. Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha scored his first goal for his country of birth as the Cranes get a huge wake-up call ahead of the start of the tournament on Saturday in Gabon. Jonathan Kodhia and Serge Aurier completed the rout. It is Uganda Cranes final game before they fly to Gabon for the Nations Cup final.

Goalkeeper Fatau Dauda is warning Ghanas 2017 AFCON opponents that the Black Stars will take some stopping when they arrive in Gabon this weekend. Dauda will be arriving in Gabon in what looks like his final Africa Cup of Nations having played in the 2008, 2013, and the 2015 edition. He was on the bench when Ghana lost to the Cote D'Voire in 2015 and says he is certain the Black Stars will arrive in Gabon as injured lions. Every member of the team knows what is required and the Black

Avram Grant says the debutants in his Ghana squad have the wherewithal to play in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations which starts on Saturday in Gabon. The former Chelsea manager named six players- goalkeeper Richard Ofor, Samuel Tetteh, Bernard Tekpetey, Thomas Partey, Ebenezer Assifuah and Ebenezer Ofori- for their first Nations Cup experience. Grant says the exploits of Daniel Amartey and Kwesi Appiah at the last tournament will serve as a motivation. "No! Like last time, we took Daniel

Ghana coach Avram Grant feels sorry for the three players he axed from his provisional squad for the Africa Cup of Nations. The Israeli named his final 23-man squad for the tournament in Gabon by dropping Abdul Majeed Waris, Joseph Attamah and Raphael Dwamena. Grant said he faced same problem during his at Chelsea when his team consisted of the national team captains of Germany, Ivory Coast, England and other captains of other countries. "I always say that since I started football, the

I begin my story with a quote from American Automobile Executive Lee Iacocca who once said 'Decisiveness is the one word that makes a good manager'. As a football writer and researcher, my quest to see the best standards set for the development of the game in the country has always led me to places I never dreamt of being. I started a football research on the topic 'The development of football in the northern part of Ghana', and even though I am yet to finish, I chanced upon a