{{Short description|Soccer tournament held in Adelaide, South Australia}} {{use dmy dates|date=June 2024}} {{use Australian English|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox football tournament | name = African Nations Cup of South Australia | logo = | imagesize = | organiser = [[Football South Australia]]<br>African Communities Council of South Australia | founded = {{Start date and age|2000|df=yes}} | region = Australia | number of teams = Variable | current champions = {{nowrap|{{fb|SOM}}}} (Men)<br>{{nowrap|{{fb|LIB}}}} (Women) | most successful team = | website = {{facebook|African-Nations-Cup-South-Australia-100023558005567/}} | current = }}
The '''African Nations Cup''', officially '''African Nations Cup of South Australia''' and also known as the '''RAA African Nations Cup''', is an annual [[association football]] (soccer) tournament for [[African Australians]] held by [[Football South Australia]] in partnership with the '''African Communities Council of South Australia''' (ACCSA) in [[Adelaide]], [[South Australia]]. ACCSA established the event in 2020, with the inaugural edition of the tournament being held in 2001. It has grown year on year, and is now a major event for [[talent scout]]s from clubs around the country.
==History== The inaugural African Nations Cup of South Australia was founded in 2000,<ref name=events>{{cite web | title=Events | website=African Communities Council of South Australia | date=7 May 2023 | url=https://accsainc.org.au/our-events/ | access-date=24 June 2024}}</ref> with the inaugural event held in 2001, when four teams were entered. Since then it has grown year on year, and now includes both men's and women's competition. {{as of|2024}} there are plans to include a youth competition.<ref name=slessor2024>{{cite web | last=Slessor | first=Camron | title=Soccer stardom beckons for Amlani Tatu and a generation of African-Australian teenagers | website=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] | date=22 June 2024 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-22/adelaide-african-heritage-rising-soccer-stars/104001706 | access-date=24 June 2024}}</ref>
==Description and impact== The African Nations Cup of SA is a football tournament and is one of two major events for the African community held by ACCSA. It has attracted over 10,000 spectators, and has become a major showcase of young talent,<ref name=events/><ref name=slessor2024/> as well as a showcase of African culture.<ref name=slessor2021/>
The tournament has featured several top South Australian players, including [[Al Hassan Toure]], [[Elvis Kamsoba]], [[Thomas Deng]], [[Hosine Bility]],<ref name=roar2021/> and [[Teeboy Kamara]],<ref name=fsa2018/> and many clubs use the occasion to scout for new talent.<ref name=slessor2021>{{cite web | last=Slessor | first=Camron | title=African Nations Cup returns to South Australia in celebration of culture, community and football | website=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] | date=11 November 2021 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-12/african-nations-cup-returns-in-south-australia/100612372 | access-date=24 June 2024}}</ref> Several participants have later played for the national teams of Australia (the [[Socceroos]]) and/or their African countries of birth,<ref name=events/><ref name=slessor2024/> and the tournament has contributed to South Australia's success in developing the skills of prominent African-Australian players, such as [[Nestory Irankunda]] and [[Kusini Yengi]].<ref name=slessor2024/>
The tournament includes players based in South Australia as well as [[Victoria (state)|Victoria]], some of whom play in the [[Victorian Premier League]].<ref name=fsa2018/>
==African Communities Council of South Australia== The African Communities Council of South Australia (ACCSA) is a non-profit organisation run by volunteers that represents over 35 ethnic African communities in South Australia, based in Adelaide. It aims to promote and preserve African culture, and to connect and serve the African diaspora in the state.<ref>{{cite web | title=About Us | website=African Communities Council of South Australia | date=29 April 2022 | url=https://accsainc.org.au/about-us/ | access-date=24 June 2024}}</ref>
==Past competitions== In 2013, South Sudan won the tournament. Their team, Sierra Stars, played in Division 4 of the SA Amateur League for the first time in that year, and were the only African team in the league. Many of the players are students, and team members have to finance their uniforms and other expenses relating to playing in the team.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.saltmagazine.org/adelaides-african-nations-cup/| website=Salt Magazine| title= Adelaide's African Nations Cup| date=13 October 2014 | access-date=24 June 2024}}</ref>
From 2016, the [[Royal Automobile Association|RAA]] became the main sponsor for the event, making it the RAA African Nations Cup.<ref name=fsa2018>{{cite web | title=2018 RAA African Nations Cup | website=Football SA | date=28 September 2018 | url=https://www.footballsa.com.au/news/2018-raa-african-nations-cup | access-date=24 June 2024}}</ref>
In 2017, Liberia won the tournament, beating DR Congo 3–0 in the Grand Final.<ref name=fsa2018/>
The 2018 event was the largest edition thus far, and was hosted by the [[Football Federation South Australia]] in partnership with the Office for Recreation and Sport and ACCSA. Held at the [[VALO Football Centre]] at The Parks in the suburb of [[Angle Park, South Australia|Angle Park]], over 600 players participated across 20 men's teams and 4 women's teams. It was held over the long weekend, 28 September – 1 October 2018, with the Grand Final late on Monday Afternoon.<ref name=fsa2018/>
The event was cancelled in 2020 owing to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in South Australia|COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref name=slessor2021/>
The 2021 edition was held in November 2021 with more teams and players than previous events;<ref name=slessor2021/> 29 teams and more than 600 players.<ref name=roar2021>{{cite web | title=Adelaide's African Nations Cup: A talent scout's dream | website=The Roar | date=12 November 2021 | url=https://www.theroar.com.au/2021/11/13/adelaides-african-nations-cup-a-talent-scouts-dream/ | access-date=24 June 2024}}</ref> There was an opening and closing ceremony for the first time at this edition of the tournament.<ref name=slessor2021/> There were four groups in the men's competition, while the women's tournament had five teams: Liberia, South Sudan, Guinea, Burundi and "The [[Horn of Africa]]", a combined side comprising women from Ethiopia, Somalia, and [[Eritrea]].<ref name=roar2021/>
As of 2021, Liberia was the most successful country in the tournament, with five wins, while Sierra Leone and Sudan had both won more than once.<ref name=roar2021/> In that year, Sierra Leone won the tournament.<ref>{{cite web | title=RAA African Nations Cup 2022 | website=Football SA | date=3 November 2022 | url=https://www.footballsa.com.au/news/raa-african-nations-cup-2022-preview | access-date=27 June 2024}}</ref>
In 2022, the RAA African Nations Cup was held in November at [[ServiceFM Stadium]] in [[Gepps Cross, South Australia|Gepps Cross]],<ref>{{cite web | title=RAA African Nations Cup 2022 | website=Football SA | date=25 October 2022 | url=https://www.footballsa.com.au/news/raa-african-nations-cup-2022-draw-fixtures | access-date=24 June 2024}}</ref> with some games being played during the week and the finals on Sunday 13 November. Football SA covered all female players' registration fees for the event, as part of its World Cup Legacy Plan to encourage more women to play the game.<ref>{{cite web | title=2022 RAA African Nations Cup to take place at ServiceFM Stadium! | website=Football SA | date=26 September 2022 | url=https://www.footballsa.com.au/news/2022-raa-african-nations-cup-take-place-servicefm-stadium | access-date=24 June 2024}}</ref>
The 2023 event was also held at the ServiceFM Stadium, with the finals on Sunday 19 November.<ref>{{cite web | title=RAA African Nations Cup 2023 | website=Football SA | date=2 November 2023 | url=https://www.footballsa.com.au/news/raa-african-nations-cup-2023-draw-fixtures | access-date=24 June 2024}}</ref> Somalia won the men's tournament and Liberia were the women's champions. Burundi and Morocco were the runners-up, respectively.<ref>{{cite web | title=South Australia | website=African Nations Cup | url=https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1276688949793026&id=100023558005567&paipv=0&eav=Afbl8T2CR3-GY650yjlYNjjKpfalAp9G97oy0UcgNlqDhAe18tMAt8D3Dyhe1oT_tfo&_rdr | access-date=27 June 2024}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{official website|https://accsainc.org.au/the-african-nations-cup-of-south-australia/}} *[https://www.facebook.com/p/African-Nations-Cup-South-Australia-100023558005567/ African Nations Cup - South Australia] on Facebook
[[Category:2001 establishments in Australia]] [[Category:African-Australian culture]] [[Category:Soccer in South Australia]] [[Category:Soccer competitions in Australia]]