Historical Influence of Soccer in Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Historical Influence of Soccer in Africa - Essay Example Football in Africa today is a game of skill, violence and ebullient spontaneity. The richness of the talent has not been watched by the administrative expertise to bring it to full fruition. Africa has to overcome poverty of natural resources but instead of falling into despair the young African children of Africa turn to soccer as their way out in some cases. will establish an instant connection. Soccer in Africa is followed passionately all over. One could easily establish when football is being played. This is through a country becoming into a standstill when soccer is being played. The development of soccer in Africa has been enhanced in the recent past. Boys and young girls no longer stay idle in their leisure time. Everywhere you go in Africa be it Morocco, South Africa, Nigeria, Congo, Kenya e.t.c. you will find young boys and girls kicking around a football.2 Sometimes the ball will be made of plastic bags with strings wrapped around it. Sometimes it will be made of crumpled up paper. As long as it can be kicked, there will be a game.3 After 1960's soccer in Africa has developed greatly. However, it is yet to reach the level of the game in Europe and Latin America. To speed up its development, Confederation of African Football (CAF) was formed to spearhead and manage soccer in Africa. Under CAF, Africa Cup of nations was started. This is a league that brings together all African countries in finals for African Cup of Nations qualifiers. This league was started in 1957 and it has gone through various stages to be where it is today. Confederation of African football CAF) was founded in 1956 and immediately began making plans for a continental championship tournament. Four teams were expected to play in the first tournament, hosted by Sudan in February of 1957. However, South ______________________ 2. Ibid 3. www.cafonline.com. Africa which was expected to play was excluded because of its apartheid government wouldn't send a multi-racial team, so it came down to just three, that is Egypt, Ethiopia and the host Sudan. Since then, the field for the African Cup of nations has gradually increased to four. Six, eight, twelve and presently fifteen teams. Originally the tournament was to be played in odd numbered years. However, the 1961 event was postponed to 1962, resulting in championships in consecutive years, and the 1967 also had moved back a year. Since 1968, the tournament has been played biennially, in even-numbered years. Besides the African Cup of nations, there are other leagues which are played under the confederation of African Football. These tournaments are as follows:- The African Youth Championship: this is the main international football competition for confederation of African football. This football competition is played by under 20 years old players. The competition is played with the top four teams qualifying for the FIFA World Youth championship. Until 1989 the African representatives were determined purely on a qualifying basis with no African title on the line. Since 1991, there has been qualifying stage followed by a final