The 2026/27 Gold Fields Women’s Premier League enters its second round of matches with several intriguing fixtures scheduled across the Northern and Southern Zones.

Among the notable encounters are the Southern Zone meeting between Oak Ladies and FC Samartex Ladies, and the Northern Zone clash involving Prisons Ladies and Fosu Royal Ladies.

Oak Ladies were scheduled to welcome FC Samartex Ladies at the Hearts Complex in Kpobiman on Friday, October 30, as both teams looked to secure their first victory of the campaign.

The two sides entered the encounter following opening-day draws. Oak Ladies shared the points with newcomers Rootz Sistaz after a 1-1 result, while Samartex Ladies played out a goalless draw against Epiphany Warriors.

Both teams therefore had an opportunity to turn their promising opening performances into a winning result and gain valuable momentum early in the season.

Meanwhile, attention in the Northern Zone turns to Penkwase Astro Turf, where Prisons Ladies are scheduled to host Fosu Royal Ladies on Saturday, October 31.

Fosu Royal Ladies head into the encounter with confidence after beginning their campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Ashanti Ladies.

Safiatu Mahamud emerged as the match winner, scoring a dramatic 90th-minute goal to hand Fosu Royal all three points in their season opener.

The visitors will now look to build on that performance and maintain their winning momentum against a Prisons Ladies side determined to claim its first victory.

Prisons Ladies began their campaign with a 1-1 away draw against Tamale Super Ladies. Abigail Tutuwa scored a late equaliser to rescue a valuable point for her team after Rahama Azimpaga Mohammed had put the hosts ahead.

Playing at home for the first time this season, Prisons Ladies will be eager to turn that draw into a victory. However, Fosu Royal’s confidence and attacking threat could make the contest a difficult challenge.

The two fixtures form part of an important Matchday Two programme as clubs across both zones seek to establish themselves in the early stages of the competition.

With the season still in its infancy, positive results this weekend could provide an important boost to the ambitions of the participating teams.

ACCRA, Ghana — Hearts of Oak are targeting another victory as they prepare for their upcoming Ghana Premier League (GPL) encounter against Debibi, with the technical team eager to maintain the club’s winning momentum.

The Phobians are chasing their fourth consecutive win, a run that would further strengthen their position in the league and boost confidence within the squad.

Head coach Hearts of Oak head coach will be looking to ensure that his players approach the fixture with the right mentality, discipline and tactical organisation as they seek to secure maximum points.

The anticipated encounter presents another opportunity for Hearts of Oak to demonstrate consistency and build on their recent performances. However, the team will need to remain focused and avoid complacency as they face a Debibi side determined to compete.

The team’s coach, Nebojsa Kapor, has emphasised the importance of confidence and the right mindset, particularly when playing away from home. He believes the squad has the ability to win on the road and is focused on keeping the players motivated as expectations rise.

Hearts’ recent form has strengthened their position among the league’s leading sides. According to reports ahead of the fixture, the Phobians had climbed to second place with 17 points, while Debibi United had struggled for consistent results.

However, Debibi United will have the advantage of playing at home and will be determined to challenge the visitors. Hearts must therefore combine confidence with discipline if they are to secure the desired result.

The match, scheduled for Sunday, November 1, 2026, offers Hearts of Oak an opportunity to extend their winning run to four consecutive league victories and maintain pressure on the teams above them.

Ghana’s National Under-15 boys’ team have concluded their campaign at the inaugural FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in Azerbaijan with an emphatic 4-0 victory over Colombia, delivering a strong finish to an impressive international tournament.

The young Ghanaian side, known as the Black Comets, produced a dominant performance in their final match to bounce back from a heavy defeat to Brazil in the ranking play-offs.

Ghana’s victory over Colombia secured seventh place in the overall standings, capping a campaign in which the team recorded eight wins in 10 matches and scored 44 goals.

Ghana Respond After Setbacks

The Black Comets entered the final match determined to finish their campaign on a positive note after suffering disappointment in the latter stages of the competition.

Ghana’s hopes of progressing further were ended by Paraguay in the quarter-finals after a 2-2 draw in regulation time, followed by a 7-6 defeat in the penalty shoot-out.

The team subsequently suffered a 7-1 loss to Brazil in the play-offs for fifth to eighth place.

However, the young Ghanaians responded impressively against Colombia, producing a four-goal performance to bring their participation in the tournament to a successful conclusion.

An Impressive Tournament Record

Despite the setbacks in the knockout and ranking stages, Ghana demonstrated considerable attacking strength throughout the competition.

The team won all five of its group-stage matches, scoring 27 goals and conceding just three.

They continued their progress with a 2-1 victory over Korea Republic in the Round of 32 before defeating Mexico 5-2 to reach the quarter-finals.

Shamsudeen Sulemana emerged as one of Ghana’s standout players, scoring four goals in the win over Mexico. Abdul Aziz Issah also made significant contributions, scoring important goals during the tournament, including against Korea Republic, Mexico and Colombia.

A Positive Sign for Ghana’s Youth Football

Ghana’s seventh-place finish, eight victories and 44 goals provide encouraging indicators of the team’s potential and attacking quality.

The tournament also offered the young players valuable experience against international opposition, exposing them to different playing styles and the demands of competitive football.

Although Ghana fell short of reaching the semi-finals, the commanding victory over Colombia ensured that the team left Azerbaijan with renewed confidence and a positive result to build on.

The performance will offer encouragement to Ghanaian football supporters as the country continues to develop the next generation of national team players.

*Source note: This report is independently written from publicly reported tournament results and campaign statistics. *

German tennis star Alexander Zverev is set to reach the summit of men’s tennis for the first time after defeating Dutch player Tallon Griekspoor at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna.

The 29-year-old secured a 6-4, 7-5 victory in the round of 16 on Thursday, October 29, guaranteeing his rise to the top of the ATP men’s singles rankings when the new standings are published on Monday, November 2.

The achievement marks a major milestone in Zverev’s career, making him the second German man to become world number one after tennis legend Boris Becker, who first reached the position in 1991.

Zverev’s rise follows an impressive 2026 campaign in which he has won two Grand Slam titles and recorded 64 victories from 80 matches.

Speaking after his victory, the German expressed excitement about reaching the top of the rankings, describing the achievement as a special moment after years of waiting.

The result also confirms that Zverev will replace Italy’s Jannik Sinner at the top of the rankings, ending Sinner’s time as the leading men’s player.

His rise has also been influenced by injuries to major rivals Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who have missed significant portions of the season. However, Zverev’s consistency throughout the year has strengthened his position among the sport’s leading players.

The German previously came close to becoming world number one in 2022, but suffered a serious ankle injury during his French Open semi-final against Rafael Nadal, which forced him to miss the remainder of that season.

Zverev will now turn his attention to the Vienna Open quarter-finals, where he is scheduled to face Britain’s Arthur Fery as he continues his campaign.

His achievement represents a defining moment in his career and places him among the select group of players to have reached the top of men’s professional tennis.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reversed its earlier decision to stage the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) every four years, confirming that the continent’s flagship national team competition will return to its traditional two-year cycle.

The decision was unanimously approved by CAF’s Executive Committee on Thursday, October 29, 2026, marking a significant shift in the governing body’s long-term competition strategy.

CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe confirmed the development in an official statement, explaining that the organisation had reconsidered its previous arrangement following concerns about the proposed Africa Nations League.

The four-year AFCON format was announced in December 2025 as part of a broader restructuring of African football competitions. Under that arrangement, the proposed Africa Nations League was expected to become the continent’s major biennial national team competition.

However, CAF has now acknowledged that the new competition would require several years before generating sufficient financial resources to support football development and strengthen the organisation’s competitions.

Motsepe said the reversal was intended to protect the interests of African football, the continent’s 54 member associations and African players representing clubs outside the continent.

Africa Nations League plans influence decision

The proposed Africa Nations League was initially designed to provide a major continental competition every two years while allowing AFCON to move to a four-year schedule.

CAF’s latest assessment, however, indicated that the proposed league would take considerable time to deliver the financial and developmental benefits originally anticipated.

The governing body therefore opted to restore AFCON’s biennial format rather than wait several years for the new competition to become financially sustainable.

The decision also reflects CAF’s intention to maintain the commercial and developmental importance of its flagship tournament.

AFCON 2027 remains on schedule

Despite the changes, the next Africa Cup of Nations will proceed in 2027, with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda serving as joint hosts.

According to Motsepe, subsequent editions are scheduled for 2028, 2031 and 2033.

There will be no AFCON tournament in 2030 because of the FIFA World Cup scheduled for that year. CAF says its scheduling arrangement will avoid holding the final stages of its national team competitions during the World Cup year.

What the decision means for African football

The return to a two-year AFCON cycle means national teams, players, supporters, sponsors and football associations can continue to anticipate the continent’s biggest international football tournament at more frequent intervals.

For African football associations, the decision also preserves AFCON’s importance as a major source of competition exposure, commercial opportunities and international recognition.

Motsepe further described the tournament as an important platform for celebrating Africa’s diverse cultures and bringing together people from the continent, the African diaspora and beyond.

With the revised arrangement now confirmed, attention will turn to preparations for the 2027 tournament in East Africa and the implementation of CAF’s updated competition calendar.

The reversal brings an end to the proposed four-year AFCON arrangement, restoring the competition’s traditional biennial identity while CAF continues to assess its wider football development plans.