AFCON
How Cote d’Ivoire 2023 Afcon draw will be done
With the draw for the Africa Cup of Nations, Cote d’Ivoire 2023 group stages looming, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has released the procedures for the draw.
The teams scheduled to participate in the draw will discover their paths for possible qualification for the competition when the draw is held in the studios of SuperSport in Johannesburg, South Africa on Tuesday at 17h30 GMT (19h30 South African time).
The 48 countries qualified to participate in the second round of the qualifiers have seeded into four pots based on the official FIFA ranking released on 31 March, 2022.
The teams will then be drawn into 12 groups of four teams (Group A to L) with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the tournament to be played in the West African country.
Hosts Cote d’Ivoire will also participate in the draw even though they have already secured the place in the tournament which means only one other team from their group will qualify for the competition.
Kenya and Zimbabwe, who have been suspended by FIFA from all football activities globally, will also be included in the draw despite their temporary bans.
However, if the suspension is not lifted two weeks before their first matchday of the qualifiers, both associations will be considered as losers and eliminated from the competition.
Consequently, their groups will be composed of three teams with the first and runner-up teams of those groups qualifying to the final tournament.
As a result of that decision, Kenya and Zimbabwe cannot be drawn in the same group in order to avoid having one group with only two teams in case the suspension on both associations is not lifted.
In the draw to be conducted by the CAF Director of Competitions Samson Adamu and assisted by African football legends Lucas Radebe of South Africa and Ivorian Solomon Kalou, the first ball will be drawn from Pot 4 and will go to position A4.
The procedure will be repeated for the remaining teams of Pot 4 who will go to positions B4, C4, D4, E4, F4, G4, H4, I4, J4,K4 & L4 according to the draw order.
The same procedure as above will be repeated for Pot 3, Pot 2 and finally Pot 1.
The qualifiers will start in June 2022.
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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