Constructing the 2024 AFCON: A Discursive News Values Analysis of Sports Reportage in selected Nigerian Newspapers
Football, also known as soccer in some regions, is the world’s most popular sport, played and watched by millions of people across the globe. The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) stands as one of the most prestigious football tournaments on the African continent, embodying the spirit of unity, competition and celebration among African nations. This study analyses the discursive construction of news values in media reports of the 2024 African Cup of Nations. Twenty (20) articles from five prominent newspapers were selected including The Punch, Nigerian Tribune, The Guardian, The Nation and Vanguard, published between January and February 2024. . The analytical framework was drawn from the Discursive News Values Theory. The findings showed that media coverage of AFCON 2024 employed a variety of linguistic strategies to frame the tournament in emotionally charged ways. Positive news values such as triumph, pride and historical achievements were juxtaposed with negative frames highlighting defeats, personification and superlative language, amplifies the emotional and cultural significance of the event, reinforcing national identities and cultural symbols. The study contributes to scholarship by extending the application of the DNV framework to African sports media discourse, an under-researched domain. It also provides insights into how media institutions construct meaning, reproduce ideological orientations, and influence audience perception through the discursive negotiation of newsworthiness.
Keywords: Football discourse, African Cup of Nations 2024, media discourse; Discursive News Values
