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Fan-Powered Initiative To Support Gor’s Champions League Campaign Launched
NAIROBI, Kenya, July 17 – As record Kenyan Premier League champions Gor Mahia intensifies preparations for the CAF Champions League return, fans have the opportunity to financially support the club trough a first-of-its-kind initiative dubbed Wallcover K’Ogalo Edition unveiled by sponsors Kansai Plascon Kenya.
Gor, who reclaimed the Football Kenya Federation Premier League title, will represent the country in the continent’s top club football 2026/27 season when the preliminary round kicks-off in September.
Kansai Plascon Kenya will dedicate a percentage of the proceeds from every sale of the Wallcover K’Ogalo Edition to support Gor Mahia FC’s continental campaign. djcc.club
Every purchase made by fans will directly contribute towards the club’s participation in the upcoming CAF Championship, enabling supporters to play an active role in Gor Mahia’s journey on the continental stage.
The limited-edition Plascon Trade Wall Cover Emulsion – K’Ogalo Edition has been created to celebrate Gor’s triumphant 2025–2026 FKF Premier League title-winning season while reaffirming Kansai Plascon Kenya’s long-term commitment to the growth of Kenyan football.
Speaking during the unveiling, Enami Kota, Managing Director, Kansai Plascon Kenya, said:
“Our partnership with Gor Mahia has always been about more than sponsorship. It is about investing in a legacy that inspires millions of Kenyans. This initiative allows supporters to celebrate the club’s achievements while directly contributing towards its future as the team prepares to fly the Kenyan flag in the CAF Championship. We believe corporate partnerships should create meaningful impact beyond branding.”
Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier, welcomed the initiative, saying:
“This partnership reflects what modern football requires—long-term collaboration built on shared ambition. Kansai Plascon has stood with us as partners, and this latest initiative demonstrates a genuine commitment to supporting the club beyond the football pitch. Every supporter who purchases the K’Ogalo Edition becomes part of our journey as we prepare to compete on the continental stage.”
Rather than simply commemorating the club’s latest success, the campaign transforms everyday purchases into an opportunity for Kenyans to contribute towards one of the country’s most successful football clubs as it prepares to represent Kenya in continental competition.
The campaign is anchored on the theme “Champions on the Pitch. Champions in Every Home.” It celebrates not only sporting excellence but also the power of partnerships, community pride and the role football continue to play in uniting millions of Kenyans.
Gor are currently in Kigali, Rwanda to compete in the 2026 CECAFA Club Championship scheduled to kick-off July 24 – August 7.
K’Ogalo are in group A alongside hosts APR FC (Rwanda), Uganda’s Vipers SC and Garde Républicaine of Djibouti.
Unity the driving force for Junior Bok class of 2026
Junior Springbok captain Siphosethu Mnebele and flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmed have lauded the team’s environment and work ethic on the eve of their Junior World Championship final against France Under-20 on Saturday evening in Tbilisi.
The final – in which the Junior Boks will aim to defend the title they won last year against New Zealand in Italy – kicks off at 18h30 SA time and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
For Mnebelele, the message on the eve of the JWC decider is simple : “We are well prepared for the final match, and we are all excited to represent South Africa in the final.”
The Junior Bok hooker, who is playing in his second JWC, echoed the sentiment of SA U20 coach Kevin Foote by stating that the players have kept their attention firmly on the task at hand.
“This is a new group, essentially, and our focus is only on the game and nothing else,” said Mnebelele. “Our focus is to be ready to take on a very good French side who have demonstrated their abilities by reaching the final.”
Throughout the tournament, the players have spoken repeatedly about growth, collective effort and remaining present in every challenge, and Ahmed pointed to the welcoming team environment and work ethic as a key factor behind the team’s march to the final.
“Our coaching staff and medical team have been awesome in preparing us, not only for this match, but for the entire time that we’ve been together,” the Junior Bok flyhalf said.
“They make it a really good environment for us, and all the boys are so focused and disciplined in their preparation and recovery.”
More than anything, Ahmed believes the strength of the squad lies in its unity and love to play for South Africa: “It is really a team effort every day that we spend together. Those who are not in the team help the coaches prepare the guys who are playing.
“We motivate and push each other, and we keep learning and improving with each session, whether that’s a training session or a technical meeting.
“We have 80 minutes left of this campaign, and we will give it our absolute best. Personally, I’m very grateful to be here as part of this group representing our country and the Junior Boks.”
It was also confirmed that the Junior Boks will wear black armbands on Saturday as a mark of respect and remembrance for former SA Under-18 prop Luqobo Makwedini who passed away on 10 July at the end of a training session with his French club, AS Béziers Hérault.
Issued by SA Rugby Communications
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Schalk: Vusi, Bok bench to cause problems
Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers back Vusi Moyo to excel on Saturday, and fear for Wales in the event the rookie Springbok flyhalf plays the full match at Kings Park.
Moyo will run out at 10 in the Nations Championship clash as one of four uncapped starters for the Boks, and on his home ground, with the Junior Springboks playmaker only having made his Sharks debut in the last round of the 2025-26 Vodacom URC.
Speaking on the Boks Unpacked podcast, former Boks Burger, De Villiers and Hanyani Shimange agreed the 20-year-old has been given the ideal platform to step into the Test arena, surrounded by experienced campaigners.
ALSO: Who Mallett hopes can resolve Bok lock woes
“He will be nervous,” De Villiers said. “But it’s not the nervousness of ‘I will let my team down’ or anything like that. It’s excitement more than nerves.
“You’ve got Cobus Reinach as your nine and Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel as your centres; that’s how you want to be making your debut.
“He’s got so much experience around him, a pack that’ll dominate. What a great opportunity for him, and it’s the same thing with Jaco Williams.”
“It’s obviously a massive game for Vusi Moyo at 10,” Burger added. “It’s not like he’s going to play 80 minutes [though], with Manie Libbok and Damian Willemse on the bench.
PLUS: Rookie Bok playmaker ‘can look after himself’
“So you go out there, you do your thing, you’ve got all this experience in and outside of you, and you know you’re going to get ripped off after a certain amount of time and the next guy steps up and replaces you.
“The issue for Wales is the last 20 minutes.”
De Villiers suggested Moyo could still finish the match if required. “You say, ‘OK, he won’t play 80’, but let’s say he goes 80 and you bring Manie Libbok at 15 and Damian Willemse at 12,” he said.
Burger replied: “Then the issue for Wales is to my point of the last 20 minutes because you go, what’s on the bench here, it can be problems.”
The match also sees Bayonne scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies return after a lengthy absence, and De Villiers believes the World Cup winner is among those who will continue to earn opportunities under Rassie Erasmus.
“If you go overseas, it does not mean that your chance to play for the Springboks goes out the window. With Rassie and his team, they watch guys all over.”
Nick Mallett on why Rassie backs Vusi Moyo at 10.
Full Talking Boks episode: https://t.co/Pp5KqVP0yM pic.twitter.com/iboEYc3H9t
— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) July 17, 2026
Photo: @Springboks/X
The post Schalk: Vusi, Bok bench to cause problems appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Going The NBA Way: World Cup Rings For Winners As Trump Attendance Confirmed
NEW YORK, USA, Jul 17 – Fifa will present World Cup rings to the winners of Sunday’s final between Argentina and Spain, which will be attended by Donald Trump.
Winner rings are a tradition in American sport, with the NFL’s Super Bowl victors presented with them.
Thirty rings will be made available to the world champions, and a further 1,996 rings will go on sale to fans. Each ring will include a mini World Cup trophy in its design and an engraving in the band.
President Trump, who is to present the trophy, has not attended any of the 102 World Cup games so far, missing all of the USA’s matches before they went out to Belgium in the last 16.
There is a weather warning in New York over air quality caused by wildfires in Canada, but there is no suggestion the final at MetLife Stadium will be affected.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino had already said Trump would attend the final and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has confirmed he will.
The relationship between Infantino and Trump has been at the heart of the biggest controversy at this summer’s World Cup, with the US president calling the Fifa chief to seek a review of United States striker Folarin Balogun’s red card.
The subsequent decision to suspend Balogun’s automatic ban was heavily criticised, with questions raised about the integrity of the tournament.
Balogun was allowed to feature in the knockout game against Belgium, but the USA suffered a 4-1 thrashing.
No other red or yellow cards have been suspended during this World Cup, despite France and England appealing to have their own respective incidents reviewed.
Trump has a history of going to big sporting events, attending the Super Bowl, the US Open tennis tournament, the NBA finals and the Ryder Cup and hosting the UFC at the White House during his two presidential terms.
It is not unusual for heads of states in host countries to attend World Cup finals.
The USA have co-hosted the tournament with Canada and Mexico, with the final two games – both live on the BBC – taking place in America.
England play France in Miami from 22:00 BST on Saturday in the third-place match, while Argentina v Spain is from 20:00 on Sunday.
Both matches will be available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with live text and radio commentary on BBC Sounds, BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sport website and app.
Foote makes minor tweaks to Junior Bok side for JWC final
Junior Springbok coach Kevin Foote has made three changes to the side that defeated England in the Junior World Championship semi-final for Saturday’s final against France in Tbilisi.
The decider at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium kicks off at 18h30 (SA time) and will be broadcast live on SuperSport. It will also mark the first time South Africa and France have met in the final of the global U20 tournament.
The Junior Boks produced a commanding second-half display to overcome England and secure a second consecutive appearance in the final, while France edged New Zealand in a tense semi-final courtesy of a late breakaway try.
Foote has made just two adjustments to his forward pack, both in the loose trio. Wasi Vyambwera starts at No 8, with Gert Kemp moving to the bench where he is expected to provide impact later in the contest. Risima Khosa will start at flanker.
The experienced front-row combination of Oliver Reid, SA U20 captain Siphosethu Mnebelele and Danie Kruger once again anchors the scrum, while Heinrich Theron and JD Hattingh continue their successful partnership in the second row. In the loose trio, Luke Cannon joins Khosa and Vyambwera, providing a balanced combination of physicality, work rate and attacking threat.
There is only one enforced change in the backline, with Alzeadon Felix coming in at fullback for Luan Giliomee, who received a red card in the semi-final.
The settled halfback combination of Hendre Schoeman and Yaqeen Ahmed will start, next to the midfield pairing of Ethan Adams and Markus Muller, while Khuthadzo Rashivago and Cheswill Jooste provide pace and finishing ability on the wings.
Samuel Badenhorst will join Kemp amongst the replacements as part of the Junior Boks’ bench, which features six forwards and two backs.
The Junior Boks, champions in 2025 after defeating New Zealand in last year’s final, will be aiming to become the first South African side to win back-to-back world titles.
Foote, who is in his second season at the helm of the Junior Boks, said the squad has used the week effectively to prepare for a formidable French outfit.
“This group has been together since the beginning of the year and they understand the way we want to play,” said Foote.
“We’ve used this week to sharpen our readiness and focus on the areas where we felt we could improve.
“The pleasing aspect of this group is their honesty and accountability. The players are open with each other in their assessments, and together we’ve identified solutions and worked hard on those areas. We believe we have prepared well for what will be a massive challenge.”
Foote praised the squad’s efforts throughout the tournament, crediting the entire group for earning a place in a second successive final: “The outstanding quality of this group is the bond they share and how much they enjoy representing South Africa. We still reviewing our game and know we have room to keep pushing to get better.
“France are a very formidable side and fully deserve their place in the final. Their performances in the recent JWC and the Six Nations show that they understand how to perform when playing knockout rugby.”
Looking ahead to Saturday’s encounter, Foote said the Junior Boks would remain true to their identity while ensuring they are tactically disciplined.
“We want to continue playing the South African way,” he said. “That means using our physicality to create momentum, winning the gain-line battle and playing with tempo and intensity.
“Our set piece will be important in providing a solid platform, but we will also need to be smart and accurate, particularly on defence. Our preparations have gone extremely well. The players have clarity around our game model, they have confidence in one another, and there is genuine excitement about the opportunity that lies ahead.”
Junior Springbok team to face France in Tbilisi:
15 Alzeadon Felix (Fidelity Securedrive Lions)
14 Cheswill Jooste (Vodacom Bulls)
13 Markus Muller (DHL Stormers)
12 Ethan Adams (Fidelity Securedrive Lions)
11 Khuthadzo Rasivhaga (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
10 Yaqeen Ahmed (DHL Stormers)
9 Hendré Schoeman (Vodacom Bulls)
8 Wasi Vyambwera (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
7 Luke Cannon (Fidelity Securedrive Lions)
6 Risima Khosa (Fidelity Securedrive Lions)
5 JD Hattingh (Fidelity Securedrive Lions)
4 Heinrich Theron (Vodacom Buls)
3 Danie Kruger (DHL Stormers)
2 Siphosethu Mnebelele (captain, Vodacom Bulls)
1 Oliver Reid (DHL Stormers)
Replacements:
16 Liam van Wyk (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
17 Rambo Kubheka (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
18 Luan van der Berg (Vodacom Bulls)
19 Jaythen Orange (Fidelity Securedrive Lions)
20 Thomas Beling (Fidelity Securedrive Lions)
21 Gert Kemp (DHL Stormers)
22 Jayden Brits (DHL Stormers)
23 Samuel Badenhorst (DHL Stormers)
Issued by SA Rugby Communications
The post Foote makes minor tweaks to Junior Bok side for JWC final appeared first on SportsClub.