AFCON
SOUTH AFRICA CRIES FOUL OVER AFCON 2019 HOSTING RIGHTS
BY DAVID DIAMOND.
The South African Football Association (SAFA) have claimed the manner in which the Confederation of African Football (CAF) awarded the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations to Egypt was “unprocedural and unfair”.
South Africa and Egypt had both put themselves forward to host the tournament after CAF stripped original hosts Cameroon of the event citing serious delays in their preparations.
Egypt were named as the new host following a vote by CAF’s Executive Committee on Tuesday (January 8), but SAFA has now officially complained, saying due process was not applied.
The body claim they were never told that CAF’s crucial Committee meeting – originally scheduled for Wednesday (January 9) – had been moved forward by a day and that no inspection team was ever sent to South Africa to assess their facilities.
“We were previously advised that CAF would make a formal announcement on the 9th of January 2019‚ and we arranged for a delegation from Government to be present‚ only to learn last night [Monday] – unofficially – that CAF will make an announcement today at 08h30 GMT,” their chief executive Russell Paul said at the time.
“We are yet to receive any official announcement in this regard.”
According to reports, SAFA has now written a formal letter of complaint to CAF, which Inside World Football claim reminds the continental body that bid rules call for the “evaluation of bid books‚ pre-selected applicants’ announcement‚ possible requests for additional information and possible on-site visits”.
SAFA chief Paul has claimed, however, no inspection team was ever sent to South Africa.
“That gives an indication of on what basis did they evaluate‚ by their own procedures?” Inside World Football quote him as saying.
“The other aspect is that we don’t know‚ up until now‚ the reason for the move from the ninth to the eighth.
“When you consider that we had actually set up a delegation to go there for the ninth‚ and the Egyptians had already been there for a few days with their government delegation and their media‚ prepared to make a bid presentation.
“We were never advised officially.
“We just got this by the grapevine.”
“FIFA did a World Cup analysis [for 2010], South Africa was number one and Egypt was last.
“Fundamentally, nothing has changed.”
It has been claimed South Africa’s support for the North American 2026 FIFA World Cup bid, despite Donald Trump’s derogatory comments about Africa, may have been a factor in their defeat ©Getty Images
In response to SAFA’s complaints, President of CAF Ahmad has claimed a lack of any Government support for South Africa’s bid was what cost the country.
According to the Nigerian news website Today, speaking in Dakar, Ahmad said both country’s have equally good infrastructure but Egypt’s greater “political commitment” gave them the edge to host the tournament between June 15 and July 13.
“Our audit firm said the infrastructure was equal, so we assessed the political commitment in the two countries, and Egypt came out on top,” he said.
“Members of the [CAF] Executive Committee did not feel any real support from the South African Government to carry the project forward.”
Agence France-Presse also reported that South Africa’s decision to back the North American bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup ahead of Morocco, “infuriated” Ahmad and other senior CAF officials.
That, therefore, may have had an impact on their bid defeat.
“South Africa voting for the USA, especially after president Donald Trump had publicly criticised the people of the continent [of Africa], was seen as anti-African,” they quote an unnamed CAF official as saying.
AFCON
Nigerians, other nationals can apply, as CAF and Morocco Launch Volunteer Programme for AFCON 2025
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) in Morocco have launched the official Volunteer Programme for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025, billed to run from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.
According to CAF, more than 4,000 volunteers will be recruited to play a central role in ensuring the success of Africa’s most prestigious football tournament, which will be staged across six cities and nine stadiums in Morocco.
Applications are now open at volunteers.cafonline.com and will close on 8 October 2025. The opportunity is open to anyone above the age of 18.
Volunteers will be deployed across multiple functional areas, including media operations, spectator services, accreditation, hospitality, and fan engagement. Selected individuals will receive professional training ahead of the competition and work behind the scenes to deliver a memorable AFCON.
CAF stated that the programme is designed not only to support tournament operations but also to create an alumni network of skilled Africans who can contribute to future sporting events across the continent. Successful applicants will benefit from:
- Training and skill development.
- Official uniforms and certificates of participation.
- Networking opportunities with peers and professionals.
- The chance to contribute to Africa’s football legacy.
Volunteer registration opened on 17 September 2025. Selection and training will take place in October and November, with operations commencing in mid-December through to the tournament’s conclusion on 18 January 2026.
CAF described the initiative as an “exciting opportunity” for Africans to contribute to the growth of the continent’s flagship sporting event, which is expected to draw millions of visitors to Morocco.
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AFCON
CAF Security Chief, Nigeria’s Emeruwa, Leads Inspection of Tangier Stadium Ahead of Major Tournaments
Nigeria’s Dr. Christian Emeruwa, President of the Security and Safety Division of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), on Thursday, September 18, led an inspection visit to the Grand Stade de Tangier as preparations intensify for upcoming continental and global football events.
Emeruwa, who heads CAF’s continental security architecture, was joined by CAF Secretary General Véron Mosengo-Omba, senior Moroccan officials, and executives of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF).
The delegation also included managers of operational companies at the Grand Stade and SONARGES executives.
According to Le 360, the Nigerian official expressed satisfaction with the stadium’s facilities after touring key operational areas, including the main control room with its giant surveillance screen, as well as spectator, player, and VIP access zones.
The inspection was bolstered by the presence of Morocco’s top security and administrative officers—the regional commander of the Royal Gendarmerie, officials of the Auxiliary Forces and Civil Protection, the Wali of Security, the governor in charge of Internal Affairs, and representatives of the National Agency for Public Equipment (ANEP).
A technical meeting followed the tour, where engineers presented recent safety and security upgrades. Among the highlights was the planned installation of a FIFA-standard tarpaulin roof to enhance the venue’s compliance with global hosting requirements.
For Nigeria, the spotlight on Dr. Emeruwa underscores the country’s growing influence in African football administration, particularly in the critical areas of safety and security management for CAF competitions.
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Morocco has received 723 high-end buses from Chinese manufacturer Yutong as part of preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which kicks off on December 21.
Yutong said on social media that the fleet “has officially rolled off the production line” and will provide “comprehensive transport services and reliable operational support” during the tournament.
An official handover ceremony was held on Friday at the company’s facility in Zhengzhou, Henan province, attended by Moroccan representatives and Yutong executives.
The buses were designed to cope with Morocco’s terrain and climate, including steep slopes, heat and sandstorms. They feature an independent front axle suspension to navigate narrow city streets and Yutong’s in-house “Blue Core System” for fuel efficiency.
The delivery is the largest single order of Chinese buses in Africa. Yutong will station more than 100 technicians in Morocco to provide training, maintenance and round-the-clock support during AFCON.
The deal is part of Morocco’s broader transport strategy, which includes plans to purchase 7,000 new buses by 2030—half of them electric—as the country prepares to co-host the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
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