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A year after the fatal shooting of a soccer player at the Canada African Cup of Nations, the soccer tournament returned to the pitch on Saturday to a crowd of supporters from across Winnipeg’s African diaspora.
The Canada African Cup of Nations kicked off at Shaughnessy Park soccer field, with about 400 registered players across 12 teams. The tournament will run on weekends from June 21 until Aug. 2.
Now in its seventh year, the Canada African Cup of Nations features Manitoba-based athletes representing their home countries of Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, South Sudan and Tanzania.
Haiti and Ukraine have also been invited to play alongside teams from the African diaspora.
Gode Katembo, the tournament’s founder and president, said he hopes to see even more countries join them in 2026.
“Our goal for next year, especially being the World Cup year, we are opening the borders to everyone,” he said, adding they are aiming to have at least 16 teams register next year.
Saturday kicked off with a match between Ghana and Haiti, followed by Ukraine vs. Senegal, and ending with Ivory Coast vs. Kenya. On the sidelines, there was an artisan market, live music and many food trucks for soccer fans to enjoy, on top of a wildfire relief fundraiser.
At the same time, 16 teams are facing off in the Ontario African Cup of Nations. Katembo also heads that tournament, which is in its second year.
Seidu Mohammed, vice-president of operations for the Manitoba tournament, said the Cup of Nations is one of the biggest and well-supported events of the year for African communities across the province.
“That’s what the Canada African Cup of Nations is about, it’s bringing all of the communities together to unite because that’s the spirit of African communities. Soccer is a thing that can bring us together and is the language that we all speak,” he said.
“We want people to come out and support their countries, support their flags … We want everybody to come out and come and watch.”
Tournament increasing security after tragic shooting last year
Katembo said the community came together after an athlete representing Eritrea was fatally shot in the parking lot outside of the Ralph Cantafio Soccer Complex in the city’s south end after playing a game in last summer’s tournament.
Mohamed Yusuf Abdullahi, 22, was rushed to hospital in critical condition and was pronounced dead on July 13.
Two men — Norbert Kipala, 27, and Tresor Horimbere, 22 — have been connected to the killing. Kipala has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder while police are still looking for Horimbere.
A third man’s murder charges were stayed last month after prosecutors decided his involvement in Abdullahi’s death was “different than the co-accused in this situation.”
Katembo said the community bolstered support for the tournament immediately following Abdullahi’s death.
“We saw the community come out at large to stand together as one in solidarity as one after what happened,” he said.
This year, the tournament has partnered with the city to have more security guards patrolling the area, including the parking lot, Katembo said.
“We don’t want the thing that happened last year to happen this year again,” said Mohammed.
“We are trying to make sure that we keep everybody safe.”
The tournament is set to return to the Ralph Cantafio Soccer Complex on June 28.