Africa’s historic performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is the focus of Episode 117 of The COSAFA Show, as we bring you a fascinating technical discussion from the CAF Strategy Conference in Cabo Verde.

A record 10 African nations competed at the expanded tournament, with nine reaching the knockout rounds – an unprecedented achievement that showcased the continent’s growing strength on the global stage.

But how close is Africa to producing a World Cup winner, and what still needs to improve?

Former Arsenal manager and FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger is joined by FIFA football performance analyst Arron Ackerman and former Ghana coach Otto Addo, a member of FIFA’s Technical Study Group, to examine the evidence.

They look at the improved tactical discipline and organisation of African teams, the importance of pressing opponents higher up the pitch and the small margins that can decide knockout football.

The discussion also explores the need for more players in attacking positions, better use of chances and the ability to manage crucial moments.

COSAFA has long been at the forefront of innovation in African football, and the TotalEnergies CAF Under-20 AFCON | COSAFA Qualifier in Mozambique will provide another example of that pioneering approach.

In this episode of The COSAFA Show, we take a closer look at new video support technology that will be trialled during the tournament, with COSAFA becoming the first CAF Zonal Union to test the system.

Designed to assist referees in making the correct decisions, the technology offers a different approach to the traditional Video Assistant Referee system and could provide another important tool for match officials in the future.

COSAFA Referees Manager Felix Tangarawima joins us to explain how the technology works, how it differs from VAR and why COSAFA has been chosen to lead the trial.

We also hear from two of the region’s leading match officials, South Africa’s Akhona Makalima and Botswana’s Keabetswe Dintwa, who give their views on the use of technology in refereeing and how it can support officials on the pitch.

Also on the episode, we speak to Bolton Wanderers left-back Max Conway, who has set his sights on representing South Africa at international level.

Conway discusses his ambitions to play for Bafana Bafana, his South African connection and what it would mean to pull on the national team jersey.

It is another packed edition of The COSAFA Show, combining innovation, refereeing and international ambition as the region continues to make its mark on African football.

The CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier Botswana 2026 has delivered plenty of drama on the pitch, but there has also been important work taking place behind the scenes to help grow the game across the region.

Episode 115 of The COSAFA Show Podcast takes a closer look at the legacy programme that accompanies COSAFA tournaments and the development initiatives being staged alongside the competition in Botswana.

A number of workshops have been held during the event, covering key areas such as refereeing, medical training, general co-ordination and scouting, all aimed at strengthening the structures that support football both on and off the field.

To provide an overview of the tournament and the wider development work being done in Botswana, the podcast speaks to Botswana Football Association vice-president and grassroots and amateur football committee member Tebogo Kamati.

Kamati discusses the importance of using major regional tournaments as an opportunity to build capacity and leave a lasting legacy long after the final whistle.

Episode 115 also features Titus Kunamuene, who led the general co-ordinators workshop, offering further insight into the training being provided and the vital role officials play in the successful delivery of competitions.

Listen to Episode 115 of The COSAFA Show Podcast for the full discussion.

In Episode 114 of The COSAFA Show, we speak to well-travelled Mozambican-born South African coach Roger de Sa following his latest experience on the global stage.

De Sa recently returned from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he helped Ghana reach the knockout rounds as part of Carlos Queiroz’s technical team. It was another chapter in a long and successful working relationship between the two coaches that stretches back more than two decades and has taken them to several different countries and competitions.

He has since returned to South African football after being appointed technical director at Cape Town Spurs. In his new role, De Sa will focus on identifying, developing and preparing the next generation of players.

In this wide-ranging conversation, De Sa reflects on Ghana’s World Cup campaign and offers his assessment of their performances on football’s biggest stage. He also shares his thoughts on how Bafana Bafana fared at the tournament and what their showing says about the current state of the South African national team.

The discussion examines the importance of CAF Interclub football in preparing players for international competition, as well as the role continental club tournaments can play in strengthening national teams.

De Sa also raises concerns about player development within Premier Soccer League clubs and the challenges facing young footballers as they attempt to make the transition from academy structures into the professional game.

In the latest episode of The COSAFA Show, Gaborone United Ladies coach Khalid Niyonzima looks ahead to his side’s defence of the CAF Women’s Champions League | COSAFA Qualifier title.

The 2026 tournament will be staged in Botswana from August 20-29, handing the defending champions home advantage as they seek to return to the continental finals for a second successive year.

With the draw set to take place in Gaborone on Wednesday, July 22, Niyonzima discusses his team’s preparations, the lessons learned from last year’s successful campaign and the challenge of retaining the regional crown.

He also reflects on the continued growth of women’s football in Botswana and what another strong showing on home soil could mean for the game in the country.

The latest episode of The COSAFA Show shines a light on player development and the growth of women’s football in the Southern African region.

We hear from former Bafana Bafana defender Mark Fish, who discusses an exciting new link between his foundation and English Championship side Charlton Athletic, a club he represented during his playing career.

Fish has long been passionate about developing young talent, in partnership with COSAFA, through his Fast Footie programme and Foundation, and he explains what this link-up with Charlton could mean for players in the region as they look to follow a pathway into the professional game.

He also shares his thoughts on the increasing number of Southern African players making their mark abroad, and what more can be done to help young footballers from the region take the next step in their careers.

Also on this episode, COSAFA Women’s Football head Violet Jubane gives us the latest on the women’s game in Southern Africa.

Jubane offers her insight into the progress being made across the region, the challenges that remain, and the opportunities ahead as COSAFA continues to support the development of women’s football at all levels.

Technical Study Groups (TSGs) are becoming a vital and valued part of coaching as they look beyond the scorelines to examine trends, tactics, player development and the bigger lessons the game is teaching us.

In Africa, and very much the COSAFA region too, that role has become increasingly important as the continent’s football continues to evolve at every level.

TSGs help federations, coaches and development structures understand not only what is happening in major competitions, but why it is happening.

They turn matches into learning tools and provide insight that can influence everything from youth development to senior national team performance.

In this episode of The COSAFA Show, we take a closer look at the value of TSGs, with a special focus on the Southern African region, by talking to the people involved in them.

Namibia made history with a maiden title at the HOLLYWOODBETS COSAFA Women’s Championship 2025 after they defeated hosts South Africa 2-1 in the final in Polokwane on Sunday.

It was a solid campaign throughout from Namibia, who got their revenge some 20 years after South Africa beat them in the 2006 decider.

All teams would have taken much from the tournament, where they were able to fine-tune their squads and look at players who might previously have been on the fringes of selection.

On this episode of the COSAFA Show, we hear from victorious Namibia coach Lesley Kavuka and South Africa’s Dr Desiree Ellis as they assess the final, and the campaign as a whole.