AFCON
Cameroon Alleges Plans to Revoke Afcon 2019 Hosting Rights
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
In a thinly veiled displeasure, the Football Federation of Cameroon (FECAFOOT) has reacted to speculations that Cameroon is not ready to host the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
FECAFOOT remarked that despite the competition being two years away, “a campaign of intoxication and disinformation” has filled the air despite the efforts deployed and assurances of the Government of Cameroon.
In a press statement signed by Tombi A. Roko, the FECAFOOT president and sent to Sports Village Square on Monday night, the football governing body frowned at statements credited to Ahmad, the CAF president at a press conference in Burkina Faso.
The statement is in French but was translated via Google translator. According to FECAFOOT statement sent to Sports Village Square, Ahmad was quoted as saying: “in the current state of things, no site in Cameroon is able to host the African Cup of Nations football”. FECAFOOT remarked that it “is deeply concerned by the fact that these remarks are made even before the first inspection mission of the CAF, scheduled for 20 to 28 August 2017”.
According to FECAFOOT which strongly suspected that there were moves to revoke the hosting rights from Cameroon, it wondered the rationale behind the proposed inspection tour since it appeared to have made up its mind that Cameroon was not going to be ready to host the premier African football competition.
FECAFOOT remarked that it was curious that the date of the first CAF inspection mission was unilaterally changed from September to August 2017 without notice. It pointed out that the successful hosting of the African Women Championship late last year should be a pointer of the excellent service delivery that Cameroon can offer.
The women football tournament took place in Yaoundé, Mfandena, Buéa and Limbe. The football went on to remark that it got letter of commendation from CAF as well as from Coup de Cœur du Jury of the Heavent Awards in Cannes which rewards the best event performances around the world.
As regards the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, FECAFOOT remarked that , on the basis of the specifications agreed with CAF, launched a vast program of construction and rehabilitation of its sports infrastructures, valued at hundreds of billions Of CFA francs.
It pointed out it is receiving assistances from friendly countries. These were enumerated thus:
• Italy, for the construction by PICCINI of the sports complex of Olembé, which includes, in particular, a covered stadium with 60,000 seats and two training stadiums, various sports facilities and a four-star hotel with seventy rooms.
• Turkey, for the construction by YENIGUN of the Japoma sports complex, which includes a 50,000-seat stadium and two training stadiums, various sports facilities and accommodation facilities for seventy rooms;
• Canada for the rehabilitation of SODEVI, the Reunification Stadium and a stadium, as well as four training grounds in Bafoussam; – France, for the rehabilitation, by the company ALCOR, Stadiums of Mbappe Lepe and Bonamoussadi; –
• United Kingdom for the rehabilitation by MOTA ENGIL of the Stade Roumde Adjia de Garoua and the construction of an annex stadium and a four-star hotel with seventy rooms; –
• United States of America, for the rehabilitation by the company PRIME POTOMAC, of four training stages, the Hotel La Bénoué and the construction of a four-star hotel of seventy rooms;
• China, for the already effective construction of the Stadiums Omnisports of Limbé and Bafoussam, approved by the CAF.
Continuing, FECAFOOT remarked that it can also boast, in addition to the support of those friendly countries and partner companies, of the Cameroonian people’s full support for the proposed organization of Africa Cup of Nations 2019.
“It is difficult, after the above-mentioned remarks by the CAF President, not to pay attention to persistent rumours about the existence of a conspiracy to withdraw the organization of CAN 2019 in favour of another CAN country:
“It is particularly curious that it has been decided that the recent reforms made in the organization of the African Football Cup, apply immediately to CAN 2019. Such a situation, which unilaterally caused the specifications previously concluded between Cameroon and CAF, amounts to a change of the rules of the game during the game.
“However, it is settled case-law that changes in the conduct of a competition do not apply to the one to be organized immediately after their adoption. For example, the decision by the FIFA Council to change the format of the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams will not apply to Russia in 2018 or Qatar in 2022.
The African Football Confederation (CAF) and Royal Air Maroc (RAM) have sealed a historic strategic partnership that grants Morocco’s national airline the status of “Official Global Partner” for upcoming major African football competitions.
The agreement was signed Saturday morning in Casablanca, in the presence of Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) President Fouzi Lekjaâ.
This partnership encompasses several prestigious tournaments, including the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco (AFCON) 2025 (December 21, 2025 – January 18, 2026) and CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco (WAFCON) 2024 (July 5-26, 2025).
The agreement also covers CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations 2025, CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations 2025, CAF Champions League 2024/2025 Finals, CAF Confederation Cup 2024/2025 Finals, and the CAF Women’s Champions League 2025.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe voiced enthusiasm about the collaboration.
“We are excited about the partnership between CAF and Royal Air Maroc, a world-class airline that will provide comfort and fly NationalTeams participating in the CAF competitions,” he said.
“We are confident that the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 will be the most successful AFCON in the history of this competition.”
The agreement strengthens RAM’s footprint across Africa and globally, solidifying its role as a strategic gateway between Africa and the rest of the world. It also aligns with Morocco’s emergence as an international sports hub, with the country preparing to host AFCON 2025 and co-host the FIFA World Cup 2030.
RAM’s Chairman and CEO Hamid Addou stated: “This historic partnership with CAF aligns fully with our strategic vision as an airline deeply rooted in Africa and committed to its development.”
“Royal Air Maroc doesn’t just connect destinations; it builds bridges between cultures and passions. By supporting the continent’s biggest football competitions, we reaffirm our role as a facilitator of human and sporting exchanges,” he continued.
500,000 supporters expected
Beyond its partnership role, RAM will implement an exceptional operational system to meet increased demand during CAF competitions. The airline plans to welcome over 500,000 supporters for AFCON 2025.
“We believe we will surpass this figure by far,” revealed Addou. “We will be ready to accommodate these supporters across Royal Air Maroc’s entire network.”
The airline intends to double seat capacity from qualified countries already served by RAM, such as Dakar, Abidjan, Cairo, Tunis, Bamako, Lagos, and Douala.
RAM will also intensify flight frequencies from European cities with large African communities, including Paris, Brussels, Milan, London, Marseille, Lyon, Madrid, and Barcelona.
Additionally, the airline will establish a dedicated program for domestic air transport of national teams, shuttling them between their base camps and host cities.
This positioning establishes RAM as the primary connector between Africa and Europe through its Casablanca hub. FRMF President Fouzi Lekjaâ noted that the contract “reinforces Royal Air Maroc’s first-rate leadership role in Africa.”
“Royal Air Maroc is no stranger to football,” Lekjaâ added. “It has always supported generations of our athletes and footballers here in Morocco.”
“With this expertise and experience, they will contribute significantly to making AFCON 2025 Morocco exceptional, a historic turning point in African football, cultural coexistence and African cultural exchange,” he concluded.
Addou stressed RAM’s commitment to African unity: “We are all extremely proud to be African, and in every corner of this vast and magnificent continent, we share the same ambition—to actively contribute to Africa’s development and influence.”
The RAM CEO concluded by inviting everyone to upcoming CAF calendar events: “We’ll see you very soon for the great moments ahead in the CAF calendar, particularly the Women’s AFCON starting in July and, of course, the men’s AFCON, which kicks off on December 25.”
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The presidents of the regional councils concerned by the hosting of the matches of the Africa Cup of Nations (Morocco-2025) unanimously affirmed that the implementation of infrastructure projects in anticipation of this continental event “is progressing at a sustained pace”, declaring themselves “fully mobilized” to crown with success the major sporting events scheduled in the Kingdom.
They specified, in statements to the press in Rabat following a meeting at the headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior devoted to the assessment of the progress of the construction and rehabilitation works of the stadiums, that major sports infrastructure projects are underway in the six host cities: Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Fez, Marrakech and Agadir.
The President of the Casablanca-Settat Regional Council, Abdellatif Maâzouz, announced that the projects planned for upcoming international sporting events, in particular the 2025 African Cup of Nations and the 2030 World Cup, “are proceeding under good conditions.”
The projects related to the organisation of the AFCON will be ready by next July at the latest, he assured, specifying that there is a clear vision regarding the preparations underway for the AFCON and the 2030 World Cup, both in terms of equipment and organisational arrangements related to human resources and animation.
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AFCON
‘Land of Football’ is ‘Kingdom of Light’ as Moroccan Tourism Office and Football Federation Strike Accord
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Morocco’s football federation and tourism office have signed a groundbreaking agreement to establish the country as a major football and tourism destination leading to the milestone 2030 World Cup when the global football tournament clocks a century.
The Moroccan football body and the Tourism Office are building on the national team’s recent international success.
Though with just one success in the Africa Cup of Nations, Moroccan football soars higher than the rest in Africa and the Arab world at the World Cup.
Apart from being the only African and Arab country to have reached the World Cup semi-final stage, Morocco in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico became the first African team not to be defeated in a World Cup match when they forced Bulgaria to a 1-1 draw on 11 June.
Again, in Mexico, this time at the 1986 World Cup, Morocco became the first African team to top a group and cross the group stage.
They were just two minutes away from a major upset of West Germany in the round of 16 before Lothar Matthäus’ back-breaking goal.
The success of the football team and the tourism potential of Morocco have found a harmonious chord.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) and the National Moroccan Tourism Office (ONMT) will work together under the banner “Morocco, Land of Football,” placing the sport at the heart of the country’s tourism strategy.
“More than an institutional partnership, this convention is a shared vision: that of a Morocco that shines through football and makes it a lever for promotion, pride and tourist attractiveness,” ONMT said in a statement released after the signing.
The timing of this collaboration is strategic, coming ahead of two major sporting events: the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
The initiative builds on widespread public enthusiasm following the Atlas Lions’ historic World Cup performance in 2022.
Under the agreement, both organizations will implement an integrated communication strategy combining visibility campaigns, influence marketing, and joint promotional activities.
The initiative will mobilize iconic figures from Moroccan football to bring this vision to life, to showcase the country’s world-class sporting facilities, rich cultural heritage, and diverse tourist attractions.
ONMT has launched a major offensive at making Morocco, the ultimate tourism and business destination as the clock ticks down to the 35th Africa Cup of Nations holding in December.
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