Have Your Say

Ivorians are celebrating their World Cup debut

Got an opinion? Express it here!

With four debutants - Angola, Ghana, Togo, and Ivory Coast - at next year's World Cup finals in Germany, is a new chapter being written in the history of the African game?

This is the question that we will be asking in the interactive edition of Fast Track taking place on Monday 10th October at 1830 GMT.

Four nations into first World Cup

Have they qualified because the quality of competition on the continent has improved?

Or is it because Nigeria, Cameroon and Senegal - the elite teams in the African game, who all failed to qualify - have taken them for granted?

Send us your comments using the form on the right - some of which will be published below.

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It's great to see the new names at the World Cup. Togo must surely be the minnows among the new boys. Angola has been improving year by year, while for Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire it has been a case of under-performing in previous qualifying competitions, rather than exceeding expectations this time. I look forward to some adventurous football in Germany next year.
Peter, England

As much as it saddens me to see the likes of Cameroon and Nigeria missing out on the World Cup, credit should be given to Ivory Coast and Ghana for their good effort and proper development structures. The same cannot be said about South Africa where overseas players have to begged to play for their country. Don't expect anything different in Egypt from South Africa. As sad as it might be, the passion has died in South Africa and sadly nobody seems to care!!!! Good luck to all the African representatives in Germany...
Vince, South Africa

This is a good sign of progress in African football. Hopefully, the world would realise that when it comes to football in Africa, more than just a few countries should be reckoned with. Congratulation Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo and Angola for your new achievements. Our pride very much depends on your performance at the world cup. Do not let us down.
Tijani Umar, Canada

Apart from Ghana, the rest of the teams going to Germany lack experience and maturity and I'm afraid to say their performance at the World Cup will not reflect a true picture of African football. We really have to brace our selves for a hard time.
Erasmus Nyanga, Zambia

The notion that the four African debutants to next year's World Cup have qualified because they were taken for granted is absolutely ridiculous. It suggests that these teams were always in a state of stagnation. These teams have qualified because they worked assiduously to qualify and demonstrated by the scores and trends of their last matches that they wanted it more than the other countries in their groups
Harry Odamtten, U.S.A

Congratulations to Africa's new debutants. Nigeria should have taken Angola much more seriously, especially when the Angolans almost beat them to the 2004 Nations Cup Ticket. Nigeria should have taken Oliseh's advice about how the authorities are running football. Okocha should have retired from Nigeria long before now. Now he will be remembered as the Captain who took Nigeria nowhere. The excuse to Christian Chukwu that he couldn't locate the camp site will remain with Nigerians for quite some time.
Ezekiel Olagoke Jr., USA

The quality of football in Africa has not improved. Countries like Angola are going to embarrass Africa at the World Cup! Yes they qualified due to Nigeria's ignorance, and we hope Nigeria learns a valuable lesson. Meanwhile Africa will be struggling without the presence of Senegal and Cameroon. But let's hope this is a lesson for the 2010 World Cup, in which Africa has to come at least third.
Paul Adeogun, United States

Apart from Ivory Coast and maybe Tunisia that can boast of some good world class players, the other teams, can only hope to gain some experience and exposure when they go to Germany. Except of course, there could be an "African surprise" which could happen again.
Edet Victor Asuquo, Nigeria

They worked hard for it and deserve full representation in Germany 2006.This is a dividend of their determination. In football, there's nothing like elite teams.
Akeekue Lebari, Nigeria

As a Nigerian, I cannot speak for the other nations. Nigeria have always notoriously left things till late before they begin to act. Up until the last three games, a depleted team that lacked key players were always paraded. In the game against Rwanda in Kigali, only 15 players were actually available, with the team captain Okocha missing without a reason. Matters were only taken seriously when it dawned on us that the head to head record we have with Angola put us at a disadvantage. No disrespect to the new comers, but African countries that have in the past made an impression on the global stage, were already power houses on the continent. Countries like Angola, and Togo have hardly even featured at the Nations Cup. I can only hope that after the potential battering that may occur next year, FIFA don't decide to reduce Africa's quota.
Michael Anaeme,UK

l think countries qualified to play in the World Cup next summer are the best on the continent and every country in Africa should support them.They have achieved this feat by playing as a team.We should forget about history and focus on the future.Names don't play football.
Albert Atta Baidoe,Ghana

Congratulations to all 5 African countries qualified for the World Cup. The truth is, if teams like Cameroon and Nigeria didn't qualify, it is just a matter of poor organisation and indiscipline or poor coaching at the earlier stages of the qualification. Ivory coast can't boast of being a better team than Cameroon for they we clearly beaten home and away. It was just a matter of luck and we know luck is equally part of football. We are all behind the 5 African teams. Make us proud.
Francis Njinjoh, Germany

I find it a bit funny when people mention traditional footballing nations in Africa without due respect to the four-time African champions, Ghana. One could compare and then acknowledge that neither Nigeria nor Cameroon have performed better against Ghana.
Samuel Cobblah, Ghana

A wind of change is sweeping through African football but wait and see more surprises at the Nations Cup in Egypt. The success of the 4 virgins - GHA, CIV, TOG, ANG - should send a strong message to the rest of Africa - and the world, that success in football is achieved through effective planning, determination, discipline and dedication. Big names these days mean nothing.
Ralph Djaba, Canada

Who says there are minnows in African football these days? What exists now is the gradual replacement of the old giants of Africa by the up and coming ones. There is no doubt that a new chapter has been written in African football and the stage has been set for a keen contest between the giants of Africa and teams previously termed minnows. We welcome the four African debutants who have qualified for the World Cup.Please prove to us that your qualification was no fluke.
Ebo Bhavnani,Ghana

I see it as good development for Africa football, because it will bring the best of Africa football during the Nation's Cup next year. Reason is that those who've made it to the Word cup would like prove to the former power houses like Nigeria and Cameroon that they've come to stay.
Chuma Echiichi, Nigeria

As for Senegal, the football authorities have been blind and clumsy enough to hire a tasteless and confused French coach who will never forget the one nil defeat of France by Senegal in the Japan and Korea 2002 World Cup. It's a pity Guy Stephan made total mess of our footballing assets.
Abdou Seye, Senegal

I bet when the draws where made, countries like Nigeria and Senegal thought they had already qualified based on the level of opposition. Their array of stars in Europe stroll into camp moments before matches, thinking they could intimidate the opposition and that every home game meant a guaranteed 3 points.
Ubong Udoette, Nigeria

It brings me great joy to see the excitement that African football presents today. What's more so intriguing is the fact how most teams are now vying to win it all at the next Nations Cup. At one time, the competition was a mere "we are glad to be here", now each team enters the tournament with the confidence to win it .
Salieu Jalloh , USA

Football is a team game and team spirit is often more important than individual talent and personal ego as demonstrated by Greece winning the European title in 2004. It is a new dawn, and hopefully, new surprises await the world of football in the same way as Cameroon, Nigeria and Senegal brought to us in their previous outings at the World Cup. I wish all the new boys well.
Dr. Abbah, Nigerian living in Hong Kong

Bravo Angola, Ghana, Togo and Ivory Coast. African football is experiencing a major growth and it's going to be competitive. The so-called elite teams will be challenged even more in the future and soon, we might be adding new names to the list.
Harrison Wachaga, Kenya

I would like to say a warm welcome to all the entrants. I know people feel that teams like Ghana, Angola, Togo and Ivory Coast made it because they were underestimated, but it's also fair to say that they worked towards what they have achieved. To Black Stars skipper Stephen Appiah and midfielder Michael Essien, I say 'Ayekoo'(well done)
Godwin Adjei, England

Why does Fifa have different rules for the African qualifiers when compared to Europe? Why can't Fifa increase Africa's quota bearing in mind the size of the continent? It is because of this unfair practice that we won't see a deserved and talented team like Nigeria at the finals in Germany.
Andrew Lawal, England

I think all the countries that made it to the finals deserved to be there. Togo defeated favourites Senegal in Lome and held them to a draw in Dakar. Angola did like-wise to Nigeria, Ghana ended up five points ahead of South Africa and there is little to choose between Cameroon and Ivory coast in terms of players' calibre. Overall all the teams that qualified earned there places, it was not handed to them on a silver plate.
Jarga Ndure,Gambia/USA

Definitely not a wind of change. What this shows is, the game has become more competitive and to qualify now the record has to be almost perfect. Africa's qualifying format in a sense is cruel. You only need to look at Morocco's record. Morocco played through the qualifiers without a loss but are not making the trip. In a way the quality within the continent has improved but remember most of the teams that qualified failed to beat their illustrious counterparts. Case in point is the Ivory Coast who lost both games to Cameroon.
Macmillan Fosi, USA

A relaxed approach from day one has taught Nigeria a lesson which hopefully they will learn. We've been lucky in the past to qualify with the result from the last match, but Angola was luckier this time. I wish them well, good luck to the new African Ambassadors at Germany 2006.
Wanle Ibikunle, Nigeria

First of all, congratulations to all the countries going to Germany! So nice to see new faces, certainly the Ivory Coast deserve to be there and I think they will acquit themselves better than the rest. But I fear African football might take a battering at the World Cup! How prepared are these teams? Are they good enough? African teams like Angola have been good at youth level, but can they take it up to senior level? How would they fare against the Japanese, the Koreans or America before we even talk of the real superpowers of football? We wait to see.
Dusty Tinashe M Shoko, Zimbabwe

There are no football minnows in Africa anymore, and this is manifested by the performances of countries like Angola and Togo. Hitherto, those teams were shrugged off in African football but a new wind is definitely blowing. Credit must definitely go to the Black Stars coach for instilling the much-needed discipline.
Frank Mensah, Ghana

Ivory Coast will get to the quarter-finals of the World Cup!
Ivorian Chris, UK

Football is improving in all of Africa. Soon we shall see countries like Sierra Leone qualifying to the World Cup. Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa are all fading away.
Sups Dejur, America

When one fails to plan, one plans to fail. Gone are the days when football is a respecter of big countries like Nigeria and Cameroon. Other small countries have seen the joy and gain in going to the World Cup, hence their never-say-die attitude towards qualification. Nigeria failed to plan, putting square pegs into round holes. The benefit is what they are reaping. There is definitely a wind of change in African football, and the Nations cup will bring more surprises to Africa.
Emeka Ekwosimba, Nigerian in Canada

The new debutants have qualified because Nigeria, Cameroon and Senegal took the early matches for granted.
Dennis Ejorh, America