AFCON
Cote D’Ivoire -Nigeria Match Ranks Among Top 10 Of AFCON Group Stage –
The anticipated ‘Thunder and Blood’ encounter of Cote d’ivoire and Nigeria on Thursday is among the top 10 matches even CAF expects to be explosive.
Sports Village Square recalls that Nigeria have won the Africa Cup of Nations trophy on three occasions that the Super Eagles avoided defeats to Cote d’Ivoire.
This is a pointer to what is expected when both clash in what is expected to be the most explosive and possibly decisive in Group A leadership.
The opening match this evening of Cote d’Ivoire versus Guinea Bissau has the colouration of a routine encounter for the hosts. But in situations of this nature, nothing is too certain. Below are the 10 matches CAF has designated as top picks
- Senegal – Gambia: 15 January, 14h00 GMT
On paper, the fixture seems unbalanced, but this is without knowing the rivalry between two border countries which are similar in several points. A David against Goliath that will be worth the detour.
- Cote d’Ivoire – Nigeria: 18 January 17h00 GMT
A match of former African champions with five titles between them. Hosts Cote d’Ivoire have lifted the AFCON title twice while the Super Eagles have one so three times, setting up what promises to be an action packed encounter.
- Egypt – Ghana: 18 January, 20h00 GMT
The meetings between these two nations has always been electric. A total of 11 AFCON titles between them, with both sides looking at adding to their collection.
- Senegal – Cameroon: 19 January, 17h00 GMT
The battle of the African lions is definitely one of the marquee fixtures. The Lions of Teranga against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon will certainly be one to look out for.
Algeria – Burkina: 20 January, 14h00 GMT
The last confrontations between these two teams has been full of suspense. They meet again on the 20thhoping to get a confidence boosting win at the start.
- Tunisia – Mali: 20 January, 20h00 GMT
Two teams that never quit. From the World Cup qualifiers to the AFCON, there is always a confrontation between Aigles de Carthage and Aigles that keeps you in suspense.
- Morocco – DR Congo: 21 January, 14h00 GMT
The Atlas Lions face a tricky opponent in DR Congo. While Morocco may be deemed as favourites, both sides have what it takes to clinch what should be an evenly balanced tie.
- South Africa – Namibia: 21 January, 20h00 GMT
A southern derby that is fast growing into a fierce one. Bafana Bafana, winners of the 1996 edition welcome a highly motivated side led by the youngest coach of the tournament in Collin Benjamin (45)
- Guinea – Senegal: 23 January, 17h00 GMT
An exciting duel of a West African derby guaranteed to entertain. Guinea will be hoping to cause an upset against the reigning champions while the Lions of Teranga look to defend their title.
- Tanzania – DR Congo, 24 January 20h00 GMT
With football in full expansion, the Tanzanian championship is full of several Congolese players who make it rain or shine. A derby also for supremacy.
Tanzanian football has been on the rise over the last few years, with a number of Congolese players plying their trade in the East African nation. The two nations clash on 24 January in what should be an interesting tie.
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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