Sports

Hockey Africa Cup of Nations: 60 Players Storm camp in Abuja

Published

4 years ago

December 14, 2021

Joel Ajayi
No fewer than 60 players are currently in camp and expected to undergo screening ahead of the Hockey Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for Accra, Ghana in January 2022.

The Secretary General of the Nigeria Hockey Federation (NHF) Rita Mosindi on Tuesday said that the players arrived camp in Abuja on Monday.

Mosindi explained that the screening camp was meant to select the best 36 players who would undergo intense training and preparations for the tournament in Ghana.

“A total of 60 players, comprising of 30 males and 30 females, including six coaches have arrived camp in Abuja on Monday ahead of the 2022 Hockey Africa Cup of Nations.

“The players were selected through a rigorous process based on their performances at the National Sports Festival, the Hockey Super League, League One as well as the Africa Cup for Club championships (ACCC).

“The one-month screening camp which begins on Tuesday (today) is expected to end on Jan. 12, 2022.

“At the end of the camp, only 36 players; comprising 18 males and 18 females will be selected to represent Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations in Accra, Ghana,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Delta Queens won silver at the ACCC in Accra, Ghana, while Kada Stars took bronze, repeating their 2019 feat.

The 2022 Men’s Hockey Africa Cup of Nations will be the 11th edition of the Men’s Hockey Africa Cup of Nations, the quadrennial international men’s field hockey championship of Africa organised by the African Hockey Federation.

In February 2021, it was announced that the tournament would be held alongside the women’s tournament which will be its eighth edition at the Theodosia Okoh Hockey Stadium in Accra, Ghana from Jan. 17 to Jan. 23, 2022.

The first edition hosted by Egypt in 1974 saw Ghana emerge as inaugural champions, which remains their only title till date.
Egypt won the next two editions in 1983 and 1989 respectively.

South Africa are the seven-time defending Champions of both the men and women events, winning the previous six editions consecutively, including the last held in 2017 at the Suez Canal Authority Hockey Stadium in Egypt.

NAN also reports that Nigeria’s female team won bronze at the 2017 edition in Egypt.

No fewer than nine African countries are taking part in the 2021 edition of both the male and female events in Ghana.
They include: Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe and defending champions, South Africa.

The tournament which is a Commonwealth Games qualifying event will see the winner of the women’s event also qualify for the 2022 Women’s FIH Hockey World Cup, while the winner of the men’s event will qualify for the 2023 Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup.

NAN

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Sports

FCT FA Board Member Urges Grassroots Reform, Hopeful For Super Eagles World Cup Qualification

Published

11 hours ago

October 5, 2025

The Gleamer

Legal Practitioner And Administrator Barr Bucknor Threatens To Petition FCT Minister Over Abandoned Stadiums

Despite Nigeria’s precarious position in the race for a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Barrister Babatunde Burknor, a board member of the FCT Football Association (FA), remains hopeful that the Super Eagles can still secure qualification.

Nigeria currently sits third in their qualification group with 11 points from 8 matches, trailing Benin Republic and South Africa, who both lead with 14 points. Yet Burknor, a seasoned football administrator and grassroots sports advocate, believes all is not lost.

In a recent interview made available to BSN Sports, Burknor said: “Nigeria’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup may appear almost impossible, but that doesn’t mean it is out of reach. The situation is tough, yes, but looking at the quality of players in our squad, I still believe we can make it.”

He added that unexpected results from other group rivals could work in Nigeria’s favour.

“Football is unpredictable. There is still a chance that South Africa, Benin Republic, or Rwanda could drop points. If we win our remaining two games, we still stand a chance. Sometimes football reflects life where the strong may fall while the seemingly weak stand tall.”

Calls for Grassroots Reform in the FCT

Beyond national team concerns, Burknor also used the opportunity to address the state of sports development in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), urging the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to take concrete action to revamp local infrastructure.

“We have deep-rooted problems when it comes to grassroots sports. The major issue is a lack of funding and commitment from those charged with driving development at that level,” he said.

Burknor lamented the disappearance of once-thriving youth competitions like the Chairman’s Cup, Principal’s Cup, and Shell Cup, stating that such events played a crucial role in identifying and nurturing young talent.

“It’s disheartening that these programs are no longer active. Development is impossible without facilities, yet we lack even basic training grounds.”

The legal luminary revealed that he personally upgraded the sports facility at a government secondary school in his area to serve as a makeshift training centre, due to the absence of a functioning local stadium.

He is currently drafting a petition to Minister Wike, over abandoned stadiums in FCT, urging a comprehensive audit of officials responsible for sports development across the six Area Councils of the FCT.

Progress in Gwagwalada Football Development

As Vice Chairman of the Gwagwalada Football Council, Burknor highlighted the success of the Gwagwalada Football League, which has become a model for other Area Councils.

“In just two years, we’ve turned the Gwagwalada Football League into a success story. Several players from the league have already secured contracts in Europe. This shows what can be achieved with vision and consistency.”

Barrister Burknor, emphasized that grassroots football holds the key to Nigeria’s long-term football success and must be taken seriously.

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