AFCON
Gusau Says Door Of Success Has Been Opened To The Super Eagles –
President of Nigeria Football Federation, Ibrahim Musa Gusau said on Friday that the Super Eagles’ victory over hosts Cote d’Ivoire on Thursday at the 34th Africa Cup of Nations finals has opened the door of success for the three-time African champions.
“I have no doubt in my mind that this victory has opened the door of success for not only the Super Eagles, but Nigeria Football on a general level. The win has brought the needed confidence for us to build on, and achieve more successes. Defeating a host nation in a competition of this magnitude is no mean feat.
“A lot of people will say nothing has been won yet, and that there is no need for so much excitement. My message to them is that some little wins do serve as inspiration and fillip for bigger achievements, and it is important to celebrate those little wins so that they actually lead to bigger accomplishments.”
Gusau commended the players for their calmness and superb organization in a highly tactical game with the Elephants, and said it was a good response to the heavy flaks that followed Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Equatorial Guinea.
“I was not happy at all over the draw with Equatorial Guinea and I didn’t hide my feelings from the team. I thank God that they responded well against the Ivorians. I believe they have enough in their tank to go all the way in the competition. Now, they have the magic wand, they will make very good use of it,” said Gusau, as he called on Nigerians from all walks of life to keep supporting and praying for the Super Eagles’ success in the ongoing finals.
For the first time in 57 years, Nigeria defeated Cote d’Ivoire in Abidjan at senior level. In a FIFA World Cup qualifier in 1977, Segun Odegbami and Adokiye Amiesimaka scored to draw the Eagles level after the Elephants raced to a 2-0 lead. In May 1993, in another FIFA World Cup qualifier, Nigeria scored first through Rashidi Yekini and had opportunities to wrap up the game but did not, and the Ivorians scored through Abdoulaye ‘Ben Badi’ Traore and Ibrahim Ouattara to win the game.
When Nigeria hosted and won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1980, their group phase encounter with Cote d’Ivoire was a tough battle that ended scoreless. When Cote d’Ivoire hosted the competition four years later, both nations did not clash, as the Elephants were eliminated in the group phase while the Eagles went all the way to the Final.
On Friday, half of the Super Eagles’ squad spent time in the gym in the morning, before the training session at the École Nationale de la Police in the evening.
Now second on the group A log, the Super Eagles could finish as group winners if they win well against Guinea Bissau, and Equatorial Guinea does not humiliate the Elephants. The Elephants, on three points, will not be able to catch up with the Super Eagles who will have seven points after a win over the Wild Dogs.
Should Equatorial Guinea overcome Cote d’Ivoire, it would be down to goals difference between them and Nigeria for group leadership, as both teams ended their encounter 1-1 and head-to-head does not separate them on that score.
While the hosts take on Thunder at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Ebimpe, the Super Eagles and the Wild Dogs clash at the Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny, which is in the centre of Abidjan, close to the Embassy of Nigeria.
The Moroccan National Tourism Office (ONMT) has kicked off a European promotional tour themed “Morocco, Land of Football” to boost the country’s visibility ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The roadshow, which began on June 16 and runs through June 23, is making stops in five key European cities: Madrid, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, and Milan.
According to a press release, the initiative is designed to enhance Morocco’s international profile through a blend of sports and cultural promotion, as the kingdom prepares to host the continent’s premier football tournament.
“Morocco is preparing to welcome Africa. Through this roadshow, we aim to tell a collective story of a country oriented towards the future, proud of its roots, and passionate about football,” said Achraf Fayda, Director General of ONMT.
The roadshow stems from a strategic partnership signed in April between the ONMT and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), with the shared goal of positioning Morocco as a leading global destination for both football and tourism by 2030.
At each stop, the tour is expected to engage over 100 travel agents, tour operators, media professionals, and African tourism experts. Participants are treated to immersive, multisensory experiences that highlight Morocco’s tourism offerings, while also facilitating networking with sports personalities.
The campaign targets travel professionals, sports industry stakeholders, and digital content creators as part of ONMT’s broader strategy to leverage AFCON 2025 for tourism development and international branding.
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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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