AFCON
POINTS OF INTEREST AS NIGERIA, SOUTH AFRICA RENEW FOOTBALL RIVALRY
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
From the original 24 teams, the field now narrows to eight as the Africa Cup of Nations hits the quarterfinals stage. All the teams in Group, A that comprises the hosts, Egypt as well as Zimbabwe, DR Congo and Uganda, have since kissed the competition good bye.
Madagascar still remains the mysterious entity in the pack and the sole survivor among the trio of debutants. But the point of interest here now is the Nigeria-South Africa fixture. It is a match of familiar opponents who have even met twice in the qualifying series.
As usual, www.sportsvillagesquare.com takes an insightful look at the match and comes out with the following points of interest.
- Sports Village Square records that this will be Nigeria’s 91st match in Africa Cup of Nations’ history since the 6-3 loss to United Arab Republic, now Egypt on 24 November 1963 in Kumasi, Ghana.
- The encounter marks South Africa’s 43rd match in the Africa Cup of Nations since making debut on home soil in 1996.
- Both Nigeria and South Africa scuttled the reenactment of the 2017, 2008 and 1986 final matches of Egypt versus Cameroon. While Nigeria eliminated Cameroon, South Africa sent out Egypt in the Round of 16.
- Nigeria and South Africa are meeting in the Africa Cup of Nations for the third time. They first met in 2000 in Lagos and later in Monastir, Tunisia. Nigeria won 2-0, 4-0 respectively.
- Nigerian legend, Austin Okocha scored the milestone 1000th goal of the Africa Cup of Nations in the 2004 Nigeria’s encounter with South Africa.
- South Africa progressively declined in performance at the Africa Cup of Nations, winning in 1996, runners-up in 1998, third-place in 2000, quarter finals in 2002, group stage in 2004 where they were ranked 11th among 16 team; and group stage again in 2006, raking 16th among 16 teams.
- Nigeria’s Ayodele Makinwa was a scoring debutant in Nigeria’s 2-1 loss to South Africa at the 2004 Nelson Mandela Challenge match.
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- South Africa’s 2-1 win over Nigeria in 2004 was the country’s first ever. It was followed up with another 2-0 win in Uyo, making South Africa’s current Scot coach, Stuart Baxter, the only one to have led South Africa to beat Nigeria.
- Leon Balogun, if fielded, will be playing against his club teammate at Brighton & Hove Albion, Pacy Tau who is South Africa most accomplished striker.
- This is South Africa’s first quarterfinal match in four of their previous participation in the Africa Cup of Nations.
- South Africa have qualified for the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations only thrice in past – 1996, 1998 and 2000.
- Nigeria have got to semi-final stage or further in 14 of their 17 appearances at the Africa Cup of Nations including 11 of the last 12.
- Wednesday’s match will be the 25th clash of both Nigeria and South Africa. These include their clash in the 2014 Africa Cup of Nations Championship (CHAN). Nigeria won seven times as against two victories by South Africa. The remaining five were drawn.
Nigeria vs. South Africa: Head-to-Head
P W D L F A GD
Nigeria 14 7 5 2 23 9 +14
S/Africa 14 2 5 7 9 23 -14
10 Oct.1992 (WCq) Nigeria 4-0 S/Africa
16 Jan 1993 (WCq) S/Africa 0-0 Nigeria
10 Feb.2000 (AFCON) Nigeria 2-0 S/ Africa
31 Jan.2004 (AFCON) S/ Africa 0-4 Nigeria
17 Nov. 2004 (F) South Africa 2-1 Nigeria
1 Jun 2008 (WCq) Nigeria 2-0 S/Africa
6 Sep 2008 (WCq) S/Africa 0-1 Nigeria
14 Aug 2013 (F) S/Africa 0-2 Nigeria
14 Jan 2014 (CHAN) S/Africa 3-1 Nigeria
10 Sep 2014 (AFCON q) S/Africa 0-0 Nigeria
19 Nov 2014 (AFCON q) Nigeria 2-2 S/Africa
29 Mar 2015 (F) S/Africa 1-1 Nigeria
10 Jun 2017 (AFCON q) Nigeria 0-2 South Africa
17 Nov 2018 (AFCON q) S/Africa 1-1 Nigeria
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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