AGP Executive Report

Mauritanian Cinema: Director Abderrahmane Sissako will lead a masterclass and retrospective at Sharjah Film Platform, which runs October 30–November 8 and features Bamako, Timbuktu and Black Tea. His new 360-degree film Artou, about siblings journeying to Mauritania, is also set for Doha Film Festival screenings November 19–27. Beach Soccer: Mauritania qualified for the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations, joining seven other teams and hosts Senegal for the tournament in Dakar from November 28 to December 6. Books & Film: Author Mohamedou Ould Slahi discussed his memoir Guantánamo Diary and its film adaptation The Mauritanian in a recent podcast interview.

Mauritanian Voices: Mohamedou Ould Slahi discussed his Guantánamo detention, memoir and choices after release on a recent podcast. His story inspired the film The Mauritanian. Cinema: Mauritanian-born filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako will lead a masterclass and feature in a retrospective at Sharjah Film Platform, running October 30 to November 8. His immersive film Artou, about siblings travelling to Mauritania, is also set for Doha Film Festival, November 19–27. Beach Soccer: Mauritania qualified for the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations, now scheduled for November 28 to December 6 in Senegal. Club Football: FC Nouadhibou lost the first leg of its CAF Champions League tie 2–1 to San-Pédro and will host the return on October 25.

Mauritanian Cinema: Filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako will lead a masterclass and retrospective at Sharjah Film Platform, running Oct. 30-Nov. 8, with screenings of Bamako, Timbuktu and Black Tea. His new immersive film, Artou, will also screen at Doha Film Festival, Nov. 19-27, and follows siblings travelling to Mauritania. Beach Soccer: Mauritania has qualified for the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations, joining seven other teams at the tournament in Senegal from Nov. 28-Dec. 6. Club Football: FC Nouadhibou will host San-Pédro on Oct. 25, needing to overturn a 2-1 first-leg loss to reach the CAF Champions League group stage.

Mauritanian Cinema: Abderrahmane Sissako will lead a masterclass and retrospective at Sharjah Film Platform, which screens Bamako, Timbuktu and Black Tea. His new immersive film, Artou—about siblings travelling to Mauritania to fulfil their father’s final wish—will feature in Doha Film Festival’s November programme. Mauritanian Voices: Mohamedou Ould Slahi discussed his Guantánamo memoir, the film it inspired, The Mauritanian, and his choices after release in a new podcast interview. Beach Soccer: Mauritania qualified for the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations, joining seven other teams and host nation Senegal. The tournament runs November 28 to December 6. Club Football: Nouadhibou face a one-goal deficit against Côte d’Ivoire’s San-Pédro in their bid to reach the CAF Champions League group stage. AS Douanes’ Confederation Cup ties against CR Belouizdad have been postponed until at least November 6 pending a sports court ruling.

Mauritanian Voice: Mohamedou Ould Slahi, whose memoir inspired The Mauritanian, discusses his false confession, life after Guantánamo and choices to forgive and change in a new podcast interview. Cinema: Oscar-nominated director Abderrahmane Sissako will lead a masterclass and retrospective at Sharjah Film Platform, which runs October 30 to November 8. The programme includes Bamako, Timbuktu and Black Tea. His immersive film Artou is also set for Doha Film Festival’s November programme. Football: Mauritania has qualified for the 2026 CAF Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations, joining seven other nations and hosts Senegal in the eight-team field. FC Nouadhibou will host San-Pédro on October 25, seeking to overturn a 2-1 deficit and reach the CAF Champions League group stage. AS Douanes’ Confederation Cup tie against CR Belouizdad has been postponed until at least November 6 while a legal challenge is heard.

Mauritanian Cinema Abroad: Mauritanian-born director Abderrahmane Sissako’s Artou, his first 360° immersive film, is set for a special screening at Doha Film Festival, running November 19–27. The story follows siblings travelling from Europe to Mauritania to fulfil their father’s final wish. Beach Soccer: Mauritania has qualified for the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations, joining seven other teams and host nation Senegal. The tournament runs November 28 to December 6 and also serves as Africa’s qualifying event for the 2027 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup. Club Football: FC Nouadhibou must overturn a 2–1 deficit against Côte d’Ivoire’s San-Pédro in the Champions League return leg on October 25. AS Douanes’ Confederation Cup tie against CR Belouizdad has been postponed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport; the matches cannot take place before November 6.

Beach Soccer: Mauritania has qualified for the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations, joining Morocco, Malawi, Ghana, Uganda, Angola and Mozambique in the eight-team tournament. Hosts and defending champions Senegal complete the lineup; the event runs from November 28 to December 6. Mauritanian Cinema: Mauritanian-born director Abderrahmane Sissako’s immersive film Artou will screen at the Doha Film Festival, November 19–27. It follows siblings travelling from Europe to Mauritania to fulfil their father’s final wish. Club Football: FC Nouadhibou faces a tough test in Sunday’s Champions League return leg after losing 2–1 to San-Pédro, with a place in the group stage at stake. Meanwhile, AS Douanes’ Confederation Cup ties against CR Belouizdad have been postponed until at least November 6 following a sports court order.

CAF Champions League: FC Nouadhibou lost 2-1 to Côte d’Ivoire’s San-Pédro after conceding a stoppage-time goal. The Mauritanian side will try to overturn the deficit at home on October 25. CAF Confederation Cup: AS Douanes’ two-legged tie against Algeria’s CR Belouizdad has been postponed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport and cannot take place before November 6. The decision is provisional and does not settle qualification. African Football: Mauritania federation chief Ahmed Yahya was among two CAF officials reported to have opposed a return to holding the Africa Cup of Nations every two years. He also voiced support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino amid calls for leadership reforms.

CAF Champions League: FC Nouadhibou lost 2-1 away to Côte d’Ivoire’s San-Pédro, conceding a stoppage-time goal. Nouadhibou will try to overturn the one-goal deficit at home on October 25. Continental Cup Delay: AS Douanes’ two CAF Confederation Cup matches against Algeria’s CR Belouizdad have been postponed until at least November 6 while the Court of Arbitration for Sport considers a separate appeal. Football Leadership: Mauritania Football Federation president Ahmed Yahya backed FIFA chief Gianni Infantino amid calls for answers over a scrapped investment plan. Yahya was also among officials reported to oppose CAF’s proposed return to holding the Africa Cup of Nations every two years.

CAF Champions League: FC Nouadhibou lost 2–1 away to Ivory Coast’s San-Pédro, conceding a stoppage-time goal. The Mauritanian side needs a win in the October 25 return leg to reach the group stage. CAF Confederation Cup: AS Douanes’ two-legged tie against Algeria’s CR Belouizdad has been postponed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport and cannot be played before November 6, pending a ruling on a separate appeal. Mauritania in African Football: Federation president Ahmed Yahya backed Gianni Infantino to remain FIFA chief, while a separate report says Yahya opposed returning the Africa Cup of Nations to a biennial schedule.

Fashion: Moroccan designer Halima Hadir received the 2026 Euro-Mediterranean International Excellence Award, a regional spotlight for North African creativity. Mauritanian Football: Federation chief Ahmed Yahya backed Gianni Infantino amid the FIFA leadership row, saying most football associations want him to stay. Yahya also opposed switching the Africa Cup of Nations back to a biennial schedule. CAF Cup: Mauritania’s AS Douanes is set to host Algeria’s CR Belouizdad in the second preliminary round, with a place in the group stage at stake. Film: Cairo’s 47th International Film Festival runs November 11–20, featuring 145 films from 64 countries.

Mauritanian Football: Federation chief Ahmed Yahya backed Gianni Infantino after the FIFA president apologised over a scrapped investment plan, saying most associations want him to stay. Yahya also reportedly opposed CAF’s proposed return to staging the Africa Cup of Nations every two years. Continental Action: Mauritania’s AS Douanes are set to host Algeria’s CR Belouizdad in the first leg of the CAF Confederation Cup’s final qualifying round; the 32 clubs’ ties run through October 18, with return matches next week.

CAF Confederation Cup: Mauritania’s AS Douanes are set to host Algeria’s CR Belouizdad in the first leg of their second-round tie, with a place in the group stage at stake. FIFA: Mauritanian Football Federation president Ahmed Yahya backed Gianni Infantino after the FIFA chief apologized over his abandoned investment plan, saying most member associations want him to stay. AFCON: Yahya reportedly opposed a return to a two-year tournament cycle, joining Djibouti’s football chief as one of two CAF executive members against the proposal.

Football Governance: Mauritania Football Federation chief Ahmed Yahya backed FIFA president Gianni Infantino after his apology over a scrapped investment plan, saying most football associations want him to stay. Separately, Yahya reportedly opposed CAF’s proposal to return the Africa Cup of Nations to a two-year cycle. Regional Cinema: Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival has opened its ninth edition, launching the MENA region’s fall festival season. Cairo’s 47th festival follows in November with 145 films from 64 countries, including new talent programmes and immersive screenings.

Regional Cinema: Egypt’s El Gouna Film Festival opened the MENA fall season, with Cairo’s 47th festival set for November 11–20 and a programme of 145 films from 64 countries. Mauritanian Football: Football Federation chief Ahmed Yahya backed Gianni Infantino amid calls for FIFA reform. He was also reported among two CAF officials opposing a return to biennial Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. Photography: A Durban exhibition of 30 award-winning images is the latest stop on an international tour that has included Mauritania.

Mauritanian Football: Federation president Ahmed Yahya is among four names reported as possible successors to CAF chief Patrice Motsepe, though no one has declared a candidacy. Yahya also reportedly opposed returning the Africa Cup of Nations to a two-year cycle, as CAF debates the tournament’s format. Regional Cinema: Cairo’s 47th International Film Festival will run November 11–20, marking its 50th anniversary with 145 films from 64 countries, including 17 world premieres.