One of the biggest talking points at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) has been Zambia’s shock elimination from Group C despite finishing with the best overall goal difference.

Many fans expected the Copper Queens to progress after their convincing 6-0 victory over Egypt, but CAF’s tiebreak rules told a different story.

So, why did Zambia go home while Nigeria and Malawi advanced?

Here’s a simple breakdown.

Final Group C Results

Nigeria

• Lost 3-2 to Malawi
• Beat Zambia 1-0
• Beat Egypt 6-2

Malawi

• Beat Nigeria 3-2
• Lost 2-1 to Zambia
• Beat Egypt 3-1

Zambia

• Beat Egypt 6-0
• Lost 1-0 to Nigeria
• Beat Malawi 2-1

All three teams finished with:

• Nigeria – 6 points
• Malawi – 6 points
• Zambia – 6 points
• Egypt – 0 points

Looking only at the final table, Zambia appeared to have the advantage.

Naturally, many supporters assumed Zambia would qualify.

But CAF does not use overall goal difference as the first tiebreaker when three or more teams finish level on points.

What CAF’s Regulations Actually Say

Article 74.2 of the CAF competition regulations explains how teams are separated when three or more sides finish level on points.

The regulations rank teams in this order:

1. Points obtained in matches between the tied teams.
2. Goal difference in matches between the tied teams.
3. Goals scored in matches between the tied teams.
4. If only two teams remain tied, the above criteria are applied again to those two teams.
5. Only then is overall goal difference considered.
6. Finally, overall goals scored are used if necessary.

In other words, matches against Egypt are ignored during the first stage of the tiebreak because Egypt were not part of the three-way tie.

Source: CAF Competition Regulations, Article 74.2.

The Mini-League That Decided Everything

CAF effectively creates a mini-league using only the matches played between Nigeria, Malawi and Zambia.

Those matches were:

• Malawi 3-2 Nigeria
• Nigeria 1-0 Zambia
• Zambia 2-1 Malawi

The mini-table looks like this:

All three teams remained level on:

CAF therefore moved to the next criterion: goals scored in matches between the tied teams.

That produced the following ranking:

1. Malawi – 4 goals
2. Nigeria – 3 goals
3. Zambia – 2 goals

That is why Malawi and Nigeria progressed while Zambia were eliminated.

The Result Against Egypt Didn’t Matter

This is the part that has confused many fans.

Nigeria’s 6-2 victory over Egypt looked decisive, while Zambia’s 6-0 win over Egypt gave them the best overall goal difference in the group.

However, those results were not used to separate the three tied teams.

Since the head-to-head criteria already produced a ranking, CAF never needed to move on to overall goal difference.

What If Nigeria Had Only Beaten Egypt 2-1?

Here’s the surprising part.

The outcome would have been exactly the same.

Even if Nigeria had beaten Egypt 2-1 instead of 6-2, the standings would still have ended with Nigeria, Malawi and Zambia tied on six points.

CAF would still have ignored the Egypt results during the first stage of the tiebreak and used only the matches involving the three tied teams.

The mini-league would therefore remain:

• Malawi – 4 goals
• Nigeria – 3 goals
• Zambia – 2 goals

Nigeria would still finish above Zambia and qualify for the quarter-finals.

In fact, Nigeria could have beaten Egypt 1-0, 2-1 or even 10-0, and the qualification outcome would not have changed, because the head-to-head criteria had already separated the three teams before overall goal difference was ever considered.

Why This Rule Exists

CAF’s approach is designed to reward teams based on their performances against their direct rivals rather than encouraging teams to run up the score against the weakest side in the group.

That is why Zambia’s emphatic 6-0 victory over Egypt ultimately counted for less than the goals scored by Nigeria and Malawi in matches against each other.

It is an uncommon scenario, but one that is clearly covered by CAF’s regulations.

So…

At first glance, Zambia’s elimination appears unfair because they finished with the best overall goal difference.

However, CAF did not eliminate Zambia because of goal difference.

The Copper Queens were eliminated because, under the competition’s official tiebreak procedure, they scored the fewest goals in the mini-league involving the three tied teams.

It is a rule that has sparked plenty of debate, but one that was applied exactly as written in the CAF regulations.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has received the “full support” of senior directors on Wednesday but world football’s governing body apologised for the controversy of the now-shelved plan to open the World Cup to private investment.

Facing a barrage of criticism following the aborted plan, FIFA’s leadership acknowledged “errors”, while nonetheless backing under-fire Infantino following a crisis meeting in Morocco.

Infantino has come under increasing pressure, even from within his organisation, over his handling of the proposal, and calls for him to step down had grown since he abandoned it last Saturday.

In a statement Wednesday, FIFA’s leadership acknowledged “that errors were also made after the proposal was leaked to media”.

FIFA floated the plan, saying it could raise up to $4.2 billion based on a valuation of $20 billion for a new commercial subsidiary, called the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which it proposed would run events such as the World Cup and Club World Cup.

It said that, if approved, the project could provide each of FIFA’s 211 member associations with a one-off payment of $20 million in early 2027, and increase their funding allocation for the 2027-2030 cycle from $8 million to $20 million.

Instead of acting as a sweetener it produced a furious backlash, with European football’s governing body UEFA resorting on Thursday to the nuclear option of boycotting the sport’s jewel in the crown, the World Cup.

By Saturday, Infantino held his hands up and withdrew the plan.

“Our purpose has always been — and will always be — to unite and improve,” said Infantino.

After Wednesday’s meeting in Rabat, the FIFA Secretary General and members of the FIFA Management Board in attendance said in a statement they “reaffirmed their full support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, as the only official elected by the 211 FIFA Member Associations”.

“The meeting also addressed the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, where mistakes made were acknowledged,” the statement said.

“It was agreed that it was not the intention for the FIFA Council and FIFA Member Associations to feel excluded from the process and that the process should have been handled differently.

“It was further acknowledged that errors were also made after the proposal was leaked to media.

“In a separate letter to the FIFA Council and FIFA Member Associations, an apology was made for these errors together with a commitment to ensure they do not happen again.”

‘Off the table’

One of those believed to be at the meeting was FIFA’s secretary-general Mattias Grafstrom, whose internal email to staff criticising the plan was leaked on Tuesday.

“A review will now be conducted, and a report will be presented to the FIFA Council at its next scheduled meeting,” the FIFA statement said.

“As previously communicated, the FFE proposal, which would have been subject to the approval of the FIFA Member Associations and the FIFA Council, is now off the table.”

Later Wednesday, Infantino — a 56-year-old Swiss lawyer who was in Morocco to celebrate last week’s Feast of the Enthronement — attended the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations match between Zambia and Malawi in Rabat.

The FIFA chief was spotted alongside the president of the Moroccan football federation at the entrance to Al Medina Stadium, an AFP photographer observed.

Morocco is to co-host the 2030 World Cup and Moroccan Football chief Fouzi Lekjaa is one of the few to have publicly supported Infantino since the humiliating climbdown.

Lekjaa last Saturday had praised his “wise” move to scrap the plan in the interests of “unity and cohesion”.

He reiterated his backing for Infantino for “all the initiatives aimed at the development of world football” during his 10 years in charge.

Infantino had been basking in the warm afterglow of a highly successful World Cup — the largest ever with 48 teams and co-hosted by three countries, Canada, Mexico and the US.

His wish to serve a fourth and final term looked likely to be rubber-stamped in Rabat next March — no other candidate had come forward to challenge him.

However, Tuesday last week all that faded.

UEFA termed the proposal to privatise the World Cup a “shabby, back room, opaque deal” hatched by Infantino.

“The current FIFA leadership has not only lost UEFA’s confidence but also that of many other members of the football family,” UEFA said in a statement.

North and Central American football’s governing body CONCACAF went further still and called for “a comprehensive reckoning with this presidency” while slamming Infantino’s “poor governance and leadership”.

On Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose country co-hosted the 2026 World Cup, said he no longer had confidence in Infantino’s ability to lead FIFA.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

Manchester United are showing a strong interest in Newcastle United left-back Lewis Hall in the transfer window.

Manchester United are likely to face a tough stance from Newcastle United in their pursuit of full-back Lewis Hall, despite reportedly being willing to pay £60million. The 21-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to United.

Michael Carrick is keen to strengthen his left-back options. Patrick Dorgu is expected to play higher up, while youngster Harry Amass has been told he can leave the club. That leaves Luke Shaw as the only real option in the position.

Hall has emerged as a name high on the list of targets for the position. He has impressed in the Premier League for Newcastle, and only just missed out on a place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the World Cup.

It’s been reported that the defender has turned down the chance to return to his former club, Chelsea. But it seems that him staying at St. James’ Park seems the most likely outcome.

Speaking on The Athletic FC Podcast, journalist David Ornstein said that he doesn’t expect Hall to join United this summer, with Newcastle determined to keep hold of the left-back.

The Magpies have had a chaotic summer so far with the sale of Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali and the exit of Eddie Howe. Midfielder Bruno Guimaraes is also closing in on a move to Arsenal.

It’s added that the exits will only add to their determination to keep hold of Hall before the end of the window. The club are reported to be keen to tie him down to a new contract at St. James’ Park.

These claims come after it was reported by talkSPORT that United are willing to pay a fee of up to £60million for Hall.

The club do, however, have other targets, including Fulham left-back Antonee Robinson, who is seen as a ‘cheaper alternative’.

The USA international has been a regular for Fulham since moving from Wigan in 2020. Last season, he played 26 times across all competitions, but his campaign was disrupted by a knee injury.

The 28-year-old started four of the five World Cup games for the USA this summer, including playing all 90 minutes of the matches against Paraguay, Bosnia and Belgium.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — CJ Abrams hit a tiebreaking, two-run triple in Washington’s six-run 11th inning, pitcher Miles Mikolas drove in a run in his first at-bat since 2021, and the Nationals snapped their seven-game skid with a 10-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night.

Luis Arraez went deep in his second game for the Phillies, whose four-game winning streak ended. Brady House homered for Washington.

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After Jacob Young walked to put runners on first and second with no outs, Abrams drove an 0-1 knuckle curve from Caleb Kilian (3-7) to deep center field. Derek Hill hit his head against the outfield railing while trying to make a leaping catch at the wall, and the ball caromed toward right field. Hill was down for several minutes before gingerly walking off the field with the help of Phillies trainers.

After Abrams’ triple, Mikolas, Thursday’s scheduled starter, entered as a pinch-hitter. He got a bunt down and Abrams beat the throw to the plate with a headfirst slide to make it 7-4. Excluding Shohei Ohtani, Mikolas became the third major league pitcher since the universal designated hitter was adopted in 2022 to drive in a run.

The Phillies acquired Kilian with Arraez from the San Francisco Giants on Monday for a pair of minor leaguers.

A night after he had two hits and drove in two runs in his Phillies debut, Arraez led off the second inning with a drive off the foul pole in right field. It was the fifth home run this season for the three-time batting champion and four-time All-Star.

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Clayton Beeter (4-3) allowed Trea Turner‘s tying sacrifice fly in the 10th. Washington took a 4-3 lead in the top of the frame without a hit against José Alvarado.

The game was delayed by 25 minutes at the start because of rain.

Phillies starter Andrew Painter did not return for the fifth inning due to left hamstring tightness. The rookie right-hander allowed three hits and one run with four strikeouts and a walk.

Up next

Phillies LHP Cristopher Sánchez (14-4, 2.61) opposes Mikolas (3-8, 5.67) in the finale of the four-game series on Thursday night.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Former India captain Ajinkya Rahane recently announced his retirement from all formats of the game, drawing the curtains on a career that spanned nearly two decades. Tributes poured in from all corners, with fans and experts alike congratulating Rahane on an outstanding career that saw him amass over 8,000 international runs. Former India captain Virat Kohli also paid tribute to Rahane after his retirement, describing him as his “favourite Test batting partner” and “the safest pair of hands in slips.”

“Jinks, congratulations on a great career, buddy. You’ve done wonders for Indian cricket, and you can be very proud of your journey. The safest pair of hands in the slips and my favourite Test batting partner. Wishing you well always. God bless,” Kohli wrote on ‘X’.

The two orchestrated a golden period in Indian Test cricket, with the team topping the ICC Test rankings for nearly 42 months. Together, Kohli and Rahane played 67 Tests, sharing 3,661 runs, including 10 century stands.

Their highest partnership was a massive 365-run stand against New Zealand in the Indore Test in October 2016, during which Kohli scored a double century and Rahane made 188.

Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, Rahane opened up about his memorable partnerships with Kohli, explaining how the two complemented each other despite their contrasting approaches.

Rahane also credited Kohli and then-head coach Ravi Shastri for transforming the fortunes of the Indian Test team, whose approach was centered on being proactive rather than reactive.

“When MS was going away from Test cricket, Virat and Ravi toughened up Indian cricket in Tests, especially in overseas conditions. The mindset was all about being bold and aggressive rather than defensive and reactive. We were always proactive,” Rahane said.

“Virat’s intensity matched well with my calm personality, and our open, honest conversations helped us build several important partnerships together,” he added.

Rahane announced his retirement from all formats three years since making his last appearance for India, having played an overall 85 Tests, 90 ODIs and 20 T20Is from 2011-2023.

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Spain’s Royal Family Welcomes World Cup Champions To Zarzuela Palace

The Vikings’ WR2 — Mr. Jordan Addison — boasts terrific talent. Even the best, though, can’t contribute from the sideline.

Thankfully, the thumb injury doesn’t appear too serious. So says Kevin O’Connell, an eternal optimist who does a nice job of trying to be transparent with injury updates: “All imaging and everything came back clean. It’s just a little sore and we want to be able to let him put this thing behind him in the next day or two, but nothing to be concerned about.”

The Vikings’ WR2 Shouldn’t Be Out Long

Chosen at No. 23 in the 2023 NFL Draft, Mr. Addison has proven to be among the better NFL receivers. Few, if any, could debate that he’s a fantastic option. How good is he, though?

An average season for Addison involves 65 catches for 885 yards and 8 touchdowns (tip of the cap to PFR). No doubt, there’s promise contained within those numbers, but he hasn’t rewritten records like Justin Jefferson has. Somebody could pretty easily pile up ten or fifteen names of receivers who are better. Not more talented, but better.

Still, there’s ample potential here, in no small part due to being just 24.

Addison doesn’t boast a formidable frame but he can shake a corner out of his cleats. Doing so allows him to score more than his WR1 counterpart. There’s a sense, as well, that the young fella could figure it out sooner rather than later due to no off-field issues alongside greater stability at quarterback.

— READ MORE: Kevin O’Connell Praises New Sledgehammer —
— READ MORE: Case Closed on Vikings Training Camp Competition —
— READ MORE: Brian Flores Says the 6’3″ Sophomore Packed on Muscle —

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The Vikings lean on Addison to shuffle all over the place. He can win outside and from within the slot. So, too, can he be leaned on to be explosive as a runner on jet sweeps. The Vikings can target him at all three levels of the field. In particular, there’s upside in the kill shot, the deep passes that instantly put 6 points on the board.

If completely healthy for seventeen games, Jordan Addison should clear 1,000 yards. He’s talented enough to clear the benchmark yardage total on an annual basis. Something within the range of 80 catches, 1,000 yards, and 10 touchdowns wouldn’t be at all surprising.

Recently, there has been some discussion of an extension for the pass catcher. The receiver business is booming business, so cashing in does have its appeal. The issue for Addison is that he’s coming off his most modest season and working under a new GM in Nolan Teasley. Is the front office willing to pay top dollar for the young fella who doesn’t lack for talent?

Another consideration is that the Vikings already have him under contract for two more seasons. Minnesota sees the fourth season of his rookie contract on the books and then the 5th-year option. Afterwards, the team could opt for the franchise tag, meaning the Vikings boast a ton of leverage.

Jordan Addison stands at 5’11” and weighs close to 180 pounds.

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Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

Six days after visiting Shedeur Sanders’ training camp with the Cleveland Browns, former ESPN analyst Ryan Clark delivered a pointed message to defend Deion Sanders’ move. The Colorado coach has been under intense criticism from a section of the fans for his visit to Cleveland.

Speaking during an episode of “The Pivot” podcast released on Wednesday, Clark compared Coach Prime to former New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning. He emphasized that both men deserve praise for their active role in supporting their children rather than criticism.

“Archie Manning went to practices at Tennessee,” Clark said. “Archie Manning saw both of his sons at practice. Archie Manning supported his sons at games. And Archie Manning should be applauded for that, for being a present.

“And not only just a present father, but a father that poured into his sons and allowed them to be what they are, as is Deion Sanders. Deion Sanders is doing exactly what you’re supposed to do when you have a level of cachet that allows your sons or allows your children to receive a platform and then take advantage of it in the ways that they should.”

Archie Manning played a crucial role in the career of both Peyton Manning and Eli Manning, with both winning the Super Bowl twice. Peyton is already a Pro Football Hall of Famer while Eli is primed for a place in Canton. Ryan Clark believes that’s the exact role Deion Sanders is playing in Shedeur’s NFL career.

Ryan Clark believes being popular shouldn’t stop Deion Sanders from supporting his son

Dropping his opinion on Deion Sanders’ criticism, Ryan Clark believes the popularity of the Pro Football Hall of Famer shouldn’t stop him from supporting his son. The analyst, who was fired by ESPN last month, believes Coach Prime is doing what the average father would do.

“Just because I’m an extremely successful human doesn’t mean I should support my children any less,” Clark said. “Deion Sanders has not only been there for Shedeur Sanders as a father since birth, he coached in high school with him; they moved to Jackson State together; they moved to Colorado together.

“When you think about parenting, when you think about pouring into your seeds, that’s what it’s supposed to look like. That would be the epitome of what it’s supposed to be.”

In an era when many athletes speak about the challenges of absent fathers, Ryan Clark’s message served as a reminder of the scrutiny parents who are involved are bound to face. This comes at a high level when the parent is a popular figure like Deion Sanders.