AFCON
Afcon 2023 teams set up seven pre-tournament camps in the Middle East and Africa
With the clock ticking down to the 13 January kick-off date for the 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the 24 teams have set up seven camps in the Middle East, North Africa, South Africa and West Africa as well as some remaining at home.
The camps are in Saudi Arabia, UAE, West Africa, South Africa, Tunisia, Algeria as well as some remaining in their home countries.
In the United Arab Emirates are six teams from Nigeria, Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Cape Verde Angola and Guinea.
Fourth in the last edition, Burkina Faso chose to set up camp in Dubai on December 28, where the Stallions will play a mini-tournament with Nigeria and the DR Congo.
The Congolese and Burkinabes will face off on January 10.
It’s worth noting that Sébastien Desabre’s men are expected in Abu Dhabi at the end of December.
These two teams will be joined by Cape Verde, fine-tunning its preparation in Abu Dhabi before flying to Rades in Tunisia where they will face the Carthage Eagles on January 10.
Abu Dhabi is a carefully considered choice for Kaba Diawara: “Initially, we will meet in Conakry on December 28 and do everything related to flag presentation, celebration, receiving the head of state, and saying goodbye to families on our soil.
“We will be in Abu Dhabi on the 31st to start training. We will leave there for Cote d’Ivoire on January 11 or 12, 2024,” explained the Guinean coach.
Nigeria chose to set up in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates during their preparation. The Super Eagles will face the DR Congo and Burkina Faso during this period.
Nigerians will likely encounter Angola, who also chose Dubai for their training camp.
At the Saudi Arabia training camp are the quartet of Cameroon, Gambia, Zambia, and Cape Verde which also will partly be in UAE and later Tunisia.
Cameroon and Gambia, the two teams set to face each other on January 23 in Group B of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations, will prepare in the same country of Saudi Arabia.
According to the Cameroonian press, a contingent of 23 Indomitable Lions will travel to Jeddah on December 27.
Gambia will stay in Saudi Arabia from December 27 to January 5 before heading to Morocco, where a match against the Atlas Lions is planned on January 7.
After a brief gathering with local players, Zambia will fly to Riyadh, with a friendly match scheduled around January 7.
South Africa is another training centre where Ghana and Mozambique will be. Ghanaians will spend New Year’s Eve together in South Africa. The Black Stars will undergo a 10-day training camp where the press and the public will not be able to attend their sessions.
A test match against Botswana is scheduled for Chris Hughton’s men on January 8 before flying to Abidjan.
Mozambicans will also travel to South Africa before the Africa Cup of Nations.
The trio of Algeria, Guinea Bossau and Namibia opted to set up camp in West Africa
Algeria heads to Togo. From January 1 to 10, the Fennecs will conduct their preparation stage in Lomé. The 2021 African champions will play against Togo on January 5 and Burundi on January 9.
Guinea Bissau will go to Mali. The Djurtus will face the Eagles on January 3 before heading to Ivory Coast on January 7. Namibia will be in Ghana.
Both Mauritania and Zambia opted to set up training camp in Tunisia. After Abu Dhabi, Cape Verde will go to Tunisia, where a match against the Carthage Eagles is scheduled.
Mauritania will start its preparation in Tabarka, a coastal city in northwest Tunisia. Amir Abdou and his team will be there until January 11 and will face Tunisia on January 6.
Tanzania will prepare on the side of Annaba in Algeria. Two friendly matches against nations participating in the AFCON are under discussion.
Eight nations have decided to carry out their preparation at home, including Morocco, Egypt, South Africa, Equatorial Guinea, Tunisia, Mali, Senegal, and Ivory Coast, the host country of the competition.
According to Egyptian news outlet Ahram, quoting the Algerian Football Federation (FAF), the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has handed a two-match suspension to Algerian goalkeeper Luca Zidane, the son of French football icon Zinedine Zidane, following the chaotic aftermath of Algeria’s quarter-final defeat to Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The suspension of Luca Zidane is the most high-profile punishment among a raft of sanctions imposed by CAF’s disciplinary committee after Nigeria’s 2–0 victory, which sent the Super Eagles into the semi-finals and sparked disorder involving Algerian players, officials, and supporters at the final whistle.
In addition to Zidane’s ban, defender Rafik Belghali has been hit with a four-match suspension, with two of those games suspended. CAF also fined the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) a total of $100,000 for what it described as misconduct by the national team and the inappropriate behaviour of certain players, officials, and fans.
CAF clarified that all player suspensions will be served during the 2027 AFCON qualifying matches. As a result, Luca Zidane and Belghali will remain eligible to feature for Algeria at this summer’s FIFA World Cup, avoiding a ban from the global showpiece.
Reacting to the verdict, the Algerian Football Federation confirmed it would appeal the sanctions, insisting it would pursue all available institutional channels to defend the interests and reputation of Algerian football.
The suspension of Zidane, however, underscores CAF’s firm stance on post-match indiscipline and ensures that the fallout from Algeria’s AFCON exit will extend well beyond the final whistle in Rabat.
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Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has offered bonuses of more than $130,000 as well as plots of coastal land to each member of the country’s soccer team following their victory in Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco.
He spoke at a ceremony in the capital, Dakar, on Tuesday night,t during which thousands of jubilant supporters took to the streets to welcome the victorious Lions of Teranga home.
Senegal beat hosts Morocco 1-0 after extra time, having staged a walk-off after they had a penalty awarded against them deep in stoppage time at the end of 90 minutes.
After the Senegal players returned to the pitch, Morocco missed the spot kick, and Pape Gueye then won the trophy with a superb strike four minutes into extra time.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Senegal players rode atop a bus emblazoned with the words “African champions” along Dakar’s corniche towards the presidential palace.
The bonuses of 75 million CFA francs ($134,892.09) for each of the squad’s 28 players total 2.1 billion CFA francs or $3.7 million. The players will also receive 1,500 square-metre plots of land.
In addition, Faye said members of Senegal’s soccer federation would receive 50 million CFA francs and 1,000 square-metre plots, while members of the Senegalese delegation to Morocco would receive 20 million CFA francs and 500 square-metre plots.
He said sports ministry staff would receive 305 million CFA francs in bonuses.
SENEGAL FACES DEBT WOES
The pledges come as Senegal grapples with debts that the International Monetary Fund said hit 132% of GDP at the end of 2024 after the current leadership uncovered billions in debts that were not reported by the previous administration.
The IMF froze a $1.8 billion lending programme over the controversy, forcing Senegal to rely heavily on regional debt auctions to meet its financing needs.
The new IMF mission chief travelled to Senegal for an introductory visit this week.
“Dear Lions, you have honoured the flag entrusted to you. You have honoured Senegal. You have shown by example that when Senegalese people move forward together with discipline and confidence, no challenge is beyond their reach,” Faye said on Tuesday while speaking on a stage in front of the presidential palace.
Senegal won the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 2021, beating Egypt in the final. Back then, players were awarded bonuses worth 50 million CFA francs and 200 square-metre plots of land.
Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football, said in December that the winners of the 35th edition in Morocco would receive $10 million in prize money
-Reuters
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Multiple sources have informed that Senegal head coach Pape Thiaw could miss the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) opened disciplinary proceedings against him over controversial conduct during the Africa Cup of Nations final in Rabat.
CAF confirmed that it is reviewing incidents from the final between the Senegal national football team and the Morocco national football team, with potential sanctions that could include a lengthy suspension.
Such a penalty would likely rule Thiaw out of leading Senegal at the World Cup, which will be staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
The case stems from events late in stoppage time when referee Jean-Jacques Ndala awarded Morocco a penalty following a VAR review. In protest, Thiaw instructed his players to leave the pitch and return to the dressing room, causing a delay of approximately 17 minutes before play resumed.
Morocco’s Brahim Díaz later missed the penalty, and Senegal went on to win the match 1–0 after extra time to claim the continental title. However, the dramatic walk-off overshadowed the victory and has now placed Thiaw’s international future in doubt.
In a statement, CAF condemned the conduct, warning that actions perceived as undermining match officials and organisers violate the values of the game. “CAF strongly condemns any inappropriate behaviour during matches, especially those targeting referees or match organizers,” the statement said.
CAF added that all available video footage from the final is being examined and that the matter will be referred to its disciplinary committees, which have the authority to impose suspensions, fines or bans.
The incident also drew criticism from Gianni Infantino, who described the scenes as “ugly” and called for accountability.
While Senegal’s World Cup preparations are expected to continue as planned, uncertainty now surrounds whether Thiaw will be on the touchline when the tournament kicks off in June, pending the outcome of CAF’s disciplinary process.
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