AFCON

AFCON QUALIFIERS: NIGERIA SEEK REVENGE, 2019 TICKET

Published

6 years ago

November 17, 2018

BY APESIN ADEMOLA.

The first of two matches pitching Nigeria and South Africa against themselves take place this weekend with arguably the more important happening on Saturday at the FNB Stadium (well known as Soccer City) in Johannesburg.

Nigeria’s senior male team, the Super Eagles square up against Bafana Bafana in the penultimate group qualifier for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, while their female counterparts, the Super Falcons begin their title chase against Banyana Banyana on Sunday in the African Women’s Championship in Ghana.

Back to the present, the Group E 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifier in Johannesburg is a grudge match for the Super Eagles after disappointing their fans in Uyo by losing 0-2 in the first leg. The South Africans were all over themselves having never beaten their more illustrious counterparts in a competitive game before then. The Super Eagles have vowed to make South African fans walk home dejected the way the crowd in Uyo did on June 10, last year.

South Africa needs this match more than their guests, who will join five other teams, including hosts Cameroon, to qualify for the 2019 finals if they secure just a point. Should the Bafana Bafana lose this fixture and Libya overcome the group’s weakest team Seychelles, they will have to battle hard to avoid defeat in their final group match away to Libya. But defeat for Libya in Seychelles will mean both Nigeria and South Africa will be in Cameroon 2019 irrespective of the result in Johannesburg.

Both sides have selection concerns following injuries to some key players. For Nigeria, these include No 1 keeper Francis Uzoho, Wilfred Ndidi, long-time absentee John Obi Mikel and Odion Ighalo, whose three goals in the last two matches helped the team to produce positive results.

For Bafana Bafana, they will miss Kamohelo Mokotjo, Dean Furman, Bongani Zungu, Keagan Dolly, Sibusiso Vilakazi and Bradley Grobler.

After three straight defeats and heavy goal deficits, Seychelles managed to pick a point in their last qualifying match when they played goalless at home against South Africa.

They host the Libyans, whose Cameroon 2019 aspiration was dealt a big blow by back-to-back defeats by the Super Eagles. The homeless Libyans require maximum points to stay in contention, that if South Africa fails to achieve double victory over Nigeria. A draw in Victoria will still give the North Africans a chance in their last group fixture, if Nigeria win in Johannesburg.

The Ugandans require to avoid defeat to visiting Cape Verde Islands to confirm their Cameroon 2019 ticket. Leading Group L, the Cranes have established a five-point cushion over Tanzania and an additional one point over this afternoon’s opponents.

Uganda are in fine form after winning all but one of their group matches; the odd one being the goalless result versus Tanzania on Matchday 2.

In Group B where only one spot is available as Cameroon feature here, Malawi will do themselves a world of good if they beat Comoros Islands, who are already eliminated.

That will bring the Flames three points behind group leaders Morocco, who they host in their last group match next March.

Morocco will however not need that match if Malawi get beaten by Comoros Islands as the Atlas Lions will have qualified for Cameroon 2019 by that result in Moroni, the capital city of Comoros Islands.

Namibia share the spotlight with Guinea-Bissau in Group K with both teams clashing to shape things up here.

Mozambique and Zambia, who go head-to-head tomorrow in Maputo, will be waiting in the wings to catch up with the losing side in this Saturday’s group match as they are both three points adrift of Namibia and Guinea-Bissau.

Senegal, having already qualified for the finals along with Madagascar, may take things easy against Equatorial Guinea, who are out of the race together with Sudan in Group A.

Gabon welcomes second placed Mali to Libreville’s Stade d’Angondjé striving to win to snatch leadership of Group C from Burundi, who beat South Sudan away on Friday.

Gabon sits at No 3 but are only a point short of Mali.

This group will be decided on the last Matchday between Burundi, Mali and Gabon as South Sudan have crashed out.

In Group D, Benin Republic seeks a double over hosts Gambia, who are at the foot of the table. If the Squirrels succeed in the Gambian mission, they will go above the Algerians, who are away to Togo on Sunday.

All the teams in this group remain in the chase for two tickets to Cameroon 2019.

Saturday’s fixtures…

Group A: Equatorial Guinea v Senegal (first leg Senegal 3-0) (4pm)

Group B: Comoros Islands v Malawi (first leg Malawi 1-0) (1pm)

Group C: Gabon v Mali (first leg Mali 2-1) (4pm)

Group D: Gambia v Benin Republic (first leg Benin Republic 1-0) (5:30pm)

Group E: Seychelles v Libya (first leg Libya 5-1) (1:30pm), South Africa v Nigeria (first leg South Africa 2-0) (2pm)

Group K: Namibia v Guinea-Bissau (first leg Guinea-Bissau 1-0) (3pm)

Group L: Uganda v Cape Verde Islands (first leg Uganda 1-0) (2pm)

Sunday’s fixtures…

Group A: Madagascar v Sudan (first leg Madagascar 3-1) (12:30pm)

Group D: Togo v Algeria (first leg Algeria 1-0) (5pm)

Group F: Ethiopia v Ghana (first leg Ghana 5-0), Kenya v Sierra Leone (first leg Sierra Leone 2-1) (both 2pm)

Group G: Congo Republic v DR Congo (first leg DR Congo 3-1) (3:30pm), Liberia v Zimbabwe (first leg Zimbabwe 3-0) (5pm)

Group H: Rwanda v Central Africa Republic (first leg Central Africa Republic 2-1) (2:30pm), Guinea v Côte d’Ivoire (first leg Guinea 3-2) (6pm)

Group I: Angola v Burkina Faso (first leg Burkina Faso 3-1) (4pm), Mauritania v Botswana (first leg Mauritania 1-0) (6pm)

Group J: eSwatini v Niger Republic (first leg 0-0) (2:30pm)

Group K: Mozambique v Zambia (first leg Mozambique 1-0) (2:30pm)

Group L: Lesotho v Tanzania (first leg 1-1) (3pm)

Finalists so far…

Cameroon (hosts); Madagascar, Senegal (both Group A); Tunisia, Egypt (both Group J)

Possible qualifiers this Saturday…

Nigeria, South Africa (both Group E); Morocco (Group B); Uganda (Group L)

Eliminated…

Equatorial Guinea, Sudan (both Group A); Comoros Islands (Group B), South Sudan (Group C), Seychelles (Group E), eSwatini, Niger Republic (both Group J)

AFCON

Royal Air Maroc named official partner for AFCON 2025, WAFCON 2024

Published

7 days ago

April 19, 2025

Kunle Solaja

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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AFCON

Morocco speeds up stadium upgrades ahead of AFCON 2025

Published

1 week ago

April 18, 2025

Kunle Solaja

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

Published

2 weeks ago

April 14, 2025

Kunle Solaja

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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