AFCON
CAF U20: NIGERIA HUNTS FOR CONTINENTAL HONOUR
BY APESIN ADEMOLA.
Having settled their qualifications for this year’s FIFA U20 World Cup to be held in Poland, the Flying Eagles and three other semifinalists of the ongoing Africa U20 Championship in Niger Republic are now focused on honours in the continent.
Despite missing the last edition in Zambia, Nigeria remain the “big boys” in the competition having won the most titles (seven), as against none by the other three teams still in the race – Senegal, South Africa and Mali.
Coach Paul Aigbogun will have to calm the nerves of his charges after the Flying Eagles battled hard in their last group match to eventually pip hosts Niger Republic 1-0 and win their group.
Nigeria had started Niger 2019 on a promising style beating Burundi 2-0 but squandered other chances that would have made the fixture an unfairing pairing.
The fans at home were disappointed with a barren result in the next match against perennial foes South Africa before the host team Niger almost caused the Flying Eagles’ exit in the last group fixture.
Mali, who will try to stop Nigeria from reaching the final, lost their opening group fixture to Senegal, the most promising team of Niger 2019, They however recovered quickly to beat both Burkina Faso and Ghana, one of the pre-tournament favourites, by a lone goal. Mali accounted for the exit of Ghana, the only African team to have won the FIFA U20 World Cup, from the race for Poland 2019.
The Eagles of Mali were beaten 1-4 aggregate in the final qualifying round for the 1989 FIFA U20 World Cup runners-up by the Flying Eagles of Nigeria.
Senegal have been so ruthless at Niger 2019. After beating Mali 2-0 on Matchday 1, the Young Lions of Teranga inflicted the same scoreline on Ghana and smashed Burkina Faso 5-1 in their group’s closing game to become the only team with a 100 percent record so far.
Senegal lost in the final of the last two editions of this competition and will be seeking to go one gear up.
Their opponents, South Africa crawled to the last four. They forced Niger Republic to 1-1 outcome in their opening match and had a barren result against Nigeria before pipping Burundi 1-0 to book their semifinal place.
South Africa’s best performance in this competition was reaching the final in 1997 and losing to hosts Morocco 1-0.
Semifinal fixtures: Nigeria v Mali (4:30pm), Senegal v South Africa (7:30pm)
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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