World Football

Can Morocco justify their tag as favourites on home soil? Could Mohamed Salah win an elusive title with Egypt? Can Nigeria bounce back from World Cup playoff disappointment? Could Riyad Mahrez and Sadio Mane be key for Algeria and Senegal? Or can Ivory Coast make it back to back titles?Former South Africa captain Dean Furman and the former Sierra Leone captain Steven Caulker joins Lee James and John Bennett to preview the tournament to answer these questions and more in our Africa Cup of Nations preview.They discuss who could go well at the African Cup of Nations, who could cause an upset and which players could shine at the tournament.Timecodes:04:45 - Interview with Morocco’s Sofyan Amrabat 07:30 - Can Morocco win as favourites? 11:00 - Interview with former Zambia forward Kalusha Bwalya 15:25 - Will talk around Mohamed Salah be a distraction for Egypt? 18:00 - Are South Africa good enough to win? 23:00 - Interview with Nigeria’s Frank Onyeka 24:45 - Does Victor Osimhen need to prove he is one of the best players in Africa? 27:50 - Interview with former Tunisia captain Radhi Jaidi 31:10 - Senegal focus 33:30 - DR Congo focus 36:00 - Algeria focus 39:25 - Interview with Sudan’s Abo Eisa 40:30 - Ivory Coast focus 43:05 - Cameroon focus 45:50 - Prediction time - players of the tournament, surprise team and winnersGROUPSGroup A - Morocco, Mali, Zambia, Comoros Group B - Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe Group C - Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania Group D - Senegal, DR Congo, Benin, Botswana Group E - Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equitorial Guinea, Sudan Group F - Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique

27 years after their last World Cup, Norway’s men have finally qualified for another one. With Erling Haaland, who scored 16 goals in eight qualifying matches, and a team that ran in 37 goals during the campaign, should the rest of the world be worried?Former Norway goalkeeper Erik Thorstvedt and journalist Lars Sivertsen join Mani Djazmi to discuss the team’s strengths and weaknesses.Photo: Staale Solbakken, Head Coach of Norway, is lifted into the air by players of Norway as they celebrate victory following the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Norway at San Siro Stadium on November 16, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Credit: Getty Images)

Bayern Munich have yet to lose this season in the Bundesliga and the Champions League. The Bavarian club did show signs of vulnerability when they drew 2-2 draw at Union Berlin, which ended their 16-game winning streak from the start of the campaign. The result meant Bayern fell one game short of matching its Bundesliga-record 10-game winning start to the league from 2015. So are they the best team in Europe? Away from Germany, Dutch giants Ajax have sacked manager John Heitinga less than six months after he joined the club from Liverpool. Heitinga have won just five of his 11 Eredivisie matches in charge and the club have lost all four of their Champions League matches this season, including a 3-0 home defeat to Galatasaray on Wednesday. What is going wrong at Ajax.John Bennett is joined by German football writer Constantin Eckner, Dutch football reporter Arthur Renard, the BBC's Mike McCarthy and World Football's Mani Djazmi. (Image: Bayern Munich celebrating, Credit: Getty Images)

The President of the Norwegian Football Federation, Lise Klaveness, tells Mani Djazmi why they have chosen a home game against Israel to donate profits from ticket sales to a charity working in Gaza.Image: Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness looks on prior to the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between Japan and Norway at Wellington Regional Stadium on August 05, 2023 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Maja Hitij - FIFA via Getty Images)

Not many football players will be like Christian Burgess. The English defender has a first-class honours degree in history and is making history on the pitch for Belgian champions Union Saint-Gilloise.He’s captaining the side as they make their Champions League debut this season and Burgess tells World Football’s Mani Djazmi about his path from university to now Champions League football.He shares his disbelief at making his debut in Europe’s premier club competition just a month before his 34th birthday.Burgess shares his own personal view of the situation facing refugees trying to cross the English channel. There are many other opinions and we aim to reflect them all on the BBC World Service and across the BBC.Image: Christian Burgess of Union Saint-Gilloise celebrates after the team's victory during the UEFA Europa League 2023/24 match between R. Union Saint-Gilloise and Liverpool FC at Stade Joseph Marien on December 14, 2023 in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

The Fluminense goalkeeper, Fabio, is the new holder of the world record for the number of professional appearances. His former teammate at Cruzeiro, Fabiano, tells Mani Djazmi about Fabio’s dedication and describes him as an inspiration for any player who wants to keep going for as long as possible.We also hear from Fluminense fan Bruno Stefano who was at Fabio’s historic 1,391st appearance.Photo: Fabio of Fluminese during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 semi-final match between Fluminense FC and Chelsea FC at MetLife Stadium on July 8, 2025 in East Rutherford, United States. (Credit: AMA/Getty Images)

Ahead of the start of the European leagues, John Bennett brings together our European football experts to preview the Bundesliga, La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1.Joining John is World Football’s Mani Djazmi, German writer and broadcaster Constantin Eckner, Italian football expert Daniele Verri, Ernest Macia from Radio Catalunya and L’Equipe’s Loic Tanzi.The panel discuss the big clubs and key battles in Europe as well as the teams and players to watch and also share who they think will win the Ballon d'Or.Image: Thomas Muller of FC Bayern Munich celebrates with the Meisterschale trophy after the teams 2-0 victory in the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern München and Borussia Mönchengladbach at Allianz Arena on May 10, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)