The World Cup in Qatar has just begun. What measures have you put in place to cover the event?
You could say that exceptional events call for exceptional measures. A competition that takes place every four years inevitably requires more attention and preparation. We have built on our successful experience with the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations to continue in the same vein and offer content that appeals to a wide readership. On our website, the World Cup has been underway since November 7, with readers able to find daily articles and interviews related to the African teams that will be competing in Qatar. These include analysis, unusual stories, historical pieces, profiles of players and coaches, and analysis of opponents. Everything has been scrutinized so that our readers can have as much information as possible before the competition kicks off. We have also renewed our video coverage with three special correspondents on site to bring you the best moments inside and outside the stadium.
In addition, Sport News Africa has developed a partnership with Télé Congo to support them in producing programs around this World Cup. It's quite a challenge for our teams who have been working on this project and are now on the ground to make it a reality with the opening match taking place this Sunday. It's a first of its kind, and we hope it will be a success. We will do everything we can to make it happen. We are also working on setting up sports news portals for local partners in certain countries.
What will be your major events?
There are several, and above all, there is something for everyone. Before each match involving an African team, the game will be previewed to provide an overview of the teams' strengths. A match report will be available shortly after the final whistle. And, as a bonus this time, a tactical analysis of the match will be available on video a few hours later. This is a major step forward and, above all, a big plus for readers in terms of understanding how the match was played. To achieve this, we have enlisted the services of a certified video analyst. There will also be lots of activity on social media, with the opportunity to win prizes by taking part in World Cup-related quizzes. Not to mention the many reports from special correspondents who will be providing exclusive information.
How will you be animating social media?
Compared to the Africa Cup of Nations, we have further strengthened our digital team in order to increase our presence on social media. Since we don't have the same editorial line for each social media platform, there will be instant information on some for those who are hungry for World Cup news, a large amount of video content on others (thanks to our special correspondents), and more offbeat content on others.
Will there be an "interviews" section?
Yes, and it has already started with interviews with players, former players, and coaches who have shared their views on this World Cup and analyzed the five African teams that will be taking part. And of course, this will continue during and after the competition, both in writing and on video, again thanks to our special correspondents in Doha.
As with the coverage of the last Africa Cup of Nations, are you planning to use video content with influencers?
For the World Cup, we have focused more on our special correspondents in Doha, to enable our readers and our community to experience the World Cup as closely as possible. In terms of influencers, we have set up a collaboration with Observateur Ébène, who will be commenting on the results in an offbeat way. This should ensure lively post-match discussions on social media.