The Democratic Republic of Congo is "investing in a new stadium as part of its bid to host the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations," according to the South African PA. The country's DRC Sports Minister Baudouin Banza Mukalay Nsungu said Thursday the republic is bidding to play host to the '19 event. Banza Mukalay said, "The DRC is an applicant for the candidates (to host) the 2019 AFCON tournament. I put the dossier into the hands of the FECOFA (Congolese football federation), which has already passed it onto CAF (the Confederation of African Football)." The competition "would effectively be held at two venues," in the Congolese capital Kinshasa and the southeastern city of Lumbumbashi. However, Banza Mukalay said that a stadium in the western city of Matadi "would also be ready for the 2019 showpiece," while Kisangani in the northeast of the country "could also stage matches" (SAPA, 2/14).

More than 86% of the 426,343 assigned tickets for the FIFA Confederations Cup have been directly distributed to the general public following the ballot triggered by the first public sales phase. Overall, football fans from 138 countries have been assigned tickets so far. The second public sale phase begins Friday (FIFA). ... A passenger plane carrying football fans to a Champions League match "skidded past the landing strip and overturned in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk" on Wednesday, killing five people (AP, 2/14).