Why Shabana will not play home games at Homa Bay’s Raila Odinga Stadium

NAIROBI, Kenya, July 8, 2026 – Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League giants Shabana will be training at the Narok and Afraha stadia in Nakuru in the new season.

Club patron, Kisii Governor Simba Arati, says the club chose the two venues, rather than the nearby Raila Odinga Stadium (ROSH) in Homa Bay, due to sibling rivalry between the two areas. sport-newz.biz

“I want to say that we have got an alternative field to be practicing and this one’s in Afraha as well as Narok Stadium. You know our neighbors, Homa Bay…there’s that beef of sibling rivalry. Sometimes sibling rivalry also can hurt,” Arati said.

Tore Bobe used ROSH as their home ground for a majority of the FKF Premier League 2023/24 season, in which they returned to the top flight after a long hiatus.

This was because their traditional Gusii Stadium was under renovation, necessitating the move, which bore dividends as they attracted large swathes of fans from the neighbouring Kisii County as well as Homa Bay.

However, their decision to by-pass ROSH is an interesting one that will elicit questions over the financial and logistical implication of travelling all the way to Narok and Nakuru for their home matches.

The Gusii Stadium has been demolished for a facelift, costing Ksh 1 billion, as directed by President William Ruto, late last year.

Arati has promised that the new-look stadium will be ready for use in May next year, adding that it will be a game-changer in sports infrastructure in Kenya.

“The team which is building Talanta (Sports Stadium), again it has moved to Kisii, they are going to give us the stadium. In May, we’ll have our stadium…it will be better than Nyayo, though the capacity will be a bit smaller. However, it will be one of the best stadiums in the country,” the governor said.

Shabana is one of the biggest clubs in the country — going by their fanbase — possibly behind Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards.

Unlike their aforementioned peers, they are yet to lift silverware in the top flight.

Having a world-class home ground will go a long way in increasing the motivation to fight for top honours to adorn the medal cabinet at a new-look Gusii Stadium.

LONDON, England, July 8, 2026 – Johan Manzambi mapped it all out.

The determined midfielder had his sights set on the 2026 World Cup before he even made his debut for Freiburg or won his first senior cap for Switzerland.

Manzambi was therefore never going to just settle for a place in the squad once he got there.

The 20-year-old instead relished this grand stage as one of the tournament’s breakout stars.

In truth, manager Murat Yakin had little choice but to start him after he came off the bench and scored a double against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Switzerland’s second group game.

Manzambi went on to repay Yakin’s faith with a goal and an assist on his full World Cup debut versus Canada and by setting up his side’s opener in the round of 32 victory over Algeria.

Manzambi missed Switzerland’s subsequent last 16 win against Colombia due to a knee injury and it remains to be seen if he will be fit enough to feature versus holders Argentina in the quarter-finals.

But he has already made history after becoming the youngest player to chalk up five goal involvements at a single World Cup since records began in 1966.

It feels like this is just the start for the Newcastle United target as close friend Yann Sturm suggested.

“I’m sure we will be hearing a lot more from him over the coming years,” he said.

‘The kind of player every coach wants’

It has been quite a rise.

But Manzambi’s thirst to get better quickly caught the eye at Freiburg as he rose through the ranks following his move from Swiss side Servette in 2023.

After one particularly draining training session with the reserves went on far longer than planned, Manzambi even asked the then Freiburg II manager Benedetto Muzzicato if he could go over the game plan again because it “didn’t feel right”.

“He wants to improve every single day,” Muzzicato said. “If anything, you have to slow him down rather than motivate him.”

This mentality has been a constant throughout his burgeoning career and helps explain why Manzambi was on the radar of clubs long before the World Cup started.

He was a key cog in the Freiburg side who reached the Europa League final for the first time ever last season and followed in the footsteps of Rayan Cherki and Florian Wirtz by being named the competition’s young player of the season.

It was Manzambi’s first full campaign as a starter yet he racked up 13 goal involvements, including stunning long-range efforts against Bayern Munich and Braga in the Bundesliga and Europa League respectively.

Manzambi’s ball-carrying, close control and ability to make things happen all stood out, as did his versatility.

The Swiss has played in a variety of roles for club and country in the middle of the park, but he has the attributes to potentially excel as a box-to-box midfielder.

The data certainly suggests so.

Among players in the Bundesliga in his position, in 2025-26, Manzambi ranked first for 10-plus metre progressive carries (116), shot ending carries (13) and fouls won (78) as opponents tried to stop him.

He was second for total take-ons (71), opposition half take-ons (52) and total carry progress (2,476 metres).

Manzambi is far from the finished article but, fuelled by a “very healthy and positive drive”, in the words of Muzzicato, he will want to build on an impressive campaign.

“I remember knowing right after Johan’s first touch that he was something special,” he added.

“His natural talent and understanding of the game were obvious from the start. You could see it immediately.

“But, as a person, he is exactly the kind of player every coach wants in their team. He always wants to improve, asks the right questions and is eager to learn.”

‘I’m convinced he will make a great next move’

Newcastle have targeted hungry players of a similar age this summer as part of their rebuild.

The club have signed winger Bazoumana Toure from Hoffenheim for £43m and goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen from Reims for around £18.5m.

They are also closing in on Ajax midfielder Sean Steur in a deal worth up to £23m.

The trio are all aged 20 and under and, following a series of knock backs in the transfer market in the last year, it felt significant they were keen on making the move to St James’ Park.

Could Manzambi follow suit?

Freiburg are in a strong negotiating position following his performances at the World Cup, but Newcastle have the headroom to reinvest within the financial rules after selling Sandro Tonali to Tottenham Hotspur for a fee potentially rising to £100m.

The club would also be able to offer Manzambi the platform to develop further with regular first-team football.

The next couple of weeks feel significant.

Manzambi, who changed representatives in the build up to the window, has made it clear in interviews he will address his future after the World Cup.

He has certainly not let the growing interest distract him, which won’t come as a surprise to Luigi Pisino, who coached him at Servette’s academy.

“He’s someone with his feet on the floor,” he said. “He remains humble and has a lot of values, even outside of the pitch.

“He’s really close to his biggest brother, who was always with him, and his father as well. I think they shared a lot of values.

“They support him and they don’t put pressure on him. This is for me a big point because we see that Johan is free when he’s on the pitch and he can just show his skills.”

Newcastle are not the only interested party, of course, and the club have been here before.

They thought a deal had been finalised for Victor Munoz when Liverpool emerged out of nowhere to sign the forward from Osasuna earlier this summer.

Hope remains, but there is still a degree of caution surrounding this pursuit as a result.

“A lot of clubs have already shown interest in him,” said Sturm, who also came through at Freiburg.

“I’m convinced he will make a great next move.”

Additional reporting by Mani Djazmi

Phiwe Nomlomo is confident his Vodacom Bulls XV squad can rise to the challenge of a demanding start to the campaign after naming a youthful group for this year’s competition.

The Bulls open their season with three successive away matches against Boland, Griquas and the Lions, but Nomlomo believes his players are ready to embrace the test.

WATCH: Stormers skipper champing at the bit

“It’s an exciting squad,” he said.

“Really, really exciting. I think we’re going to play a good brand of rugby.”

The coach acknowledged that the fixture list presents an early challenge, but said the Bulls have planned extensively for a season in which player availability will be heavily influenced by injuries and Springbok commitments.

Nomlomo revealed he and director of rugby Johan Ackermann have worked closely to prepare for those demands.

“We’ve had some really good meetings,” he said.

“It’s all hands on deck, and that’s why there are a few names in this squad that people might not recognise. I can tell you, it’s exciting.”

ALSO: Two ex-Sharks link up with Stormers

The Bulls are expected to lose several players at different stages of the competition because of Springbok duty, with the domestic schedule overlapping with the much-anticipated Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks.

Despite those challenges, Nomlomo believes the depth within the wider Bulls system gives a new generation of players the chance to make their mark in the Currie Cup.

MORE: Cheetahs invest in future stars

Bulls XV squad:
Forwards: Abri van der Westhuysen, Abongile Nonkotwana, Arnu Gustafson, Cephas van Biljon, Chinedu Amadi, Damian Baker, Dian Coetzee, Dieter Schubert, Dylan Smith, Jon Hobson, Esethu Mnebelele, Heinrich Theron, Jaundre Schoeman, Jean Erasmus, JJ Theron, Jonathan Eloff, Junior Pokomela, KB Maake, Mawande Mdanda, Migael Turner, Nama Xaba, Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, Oelof de Meyer, Ranon Fourie, Sandisiwe Msengana, Sintu Manjezi, Ulrich van der Westhuizen.

Backs: Aka Boqwana, Brooklyn Newman, Christiaan Viok, Christan Vorster, Daniel van der Merwe, Hakeem Kunene, Hendre Schoeman, JJ Motlhodi, Ian van der Merwe, Lindsey Jansen, Marnus Rademeyer, Neil le Roux, PA van Niekerk, Pieter van der Merwe, Riwan van Aswegen, Riyaad Bam, Ruan Enslin, Ruben Groenewald, Unathi Mlotshwa, Viaan Mentoor, Melt Viljoen, Demitre Erasmus, Devon Williams, Keagan Johannes, Shaun Schümann, Thomas Beling.

Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images/Getty Images

The post Nomlomo backs youthful Bulls to fire appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.

RIYAD- C’était dans les tuyaux, c’est désormais officiel depuis ce 8 juillet 2026. Le milieu de terrain international guinéen Seydouba Cissé s’est officiellement engagé avec Al-Kholood FC en Saudi Pro League.

Un contrat de 3 saisons liant le guinéen au club saoudien a été signé jusqu’au 30 juin 2029. A 25 ans, Seydouba Cissé arrive en provenance du CD Leganés en D2 Espagnole, club où il évoluait depuis plusieurs saisons. Il va donc découvrir pour la première fois le championnat saoudien et espérer garder la même dynamique et les mêmes performances.

Guineefoot

Les autorités malgaches ont décidé d'employer la manière forte face à la multiplication des disparitions et assassinats – en particulier d’enfants – rapportés ces dernières semaines sur les réseaux sociaux. Alors que la psychose gagne du terrain à Antananarivo, la présidence a annoncé, mardi 7 juillet, le déploiement immédiat de la garde présidentielle et de 400 éléments des forces de défense et de sécurité dans les rues de la capitale. Le Premier ministre a également pris la parole, affirmant notamment que ces crimes étaient destinés à nuire au régime de transition.