AFCON
Liverpool coach, Klopp worried over Salah’s injury –
It is too early to tell the extent of Mohamed Salah’s injury, Juergen Klopp said on Friday, but the sight of the Liverpool talisman limping off the pitch with what his club manager called a hamstring injury rang alarm bells with the Merseyside team.
Liverpool were handed a scare when Salah, the Premier League’s joint top scorer this season with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, limped off just before halftime in Egypt’s 2-2 draw with Ghana at the Africa Cup of Nations on Thursday.
“We don’t know anything about it,” Klopp told reporters on Friday. “I spoke with him last night and how it was. They are doing further assessments now and then we will know more.
“At that moment he was shocked and couldn’t see why he was hit by something so intense. You have these hamstring injuries in a different way. He felt it and we know how rarely Mo goes off, or needs to go off, so it is definitely something, but I don’t have any more information right now.”
The 31-year-old is rarely injured and has missed just 10 league games in six-plus seasons.
Klopp said he was uncertain whether Liverpool’s medical staff would travel to the Ivory Coast to assess the extent of Salah’s injury.
“We will see. It depends on the diagnostics,” he said. “We will have ultrasound and MRI and then we will know what it is and we will see and make plans, but it’s too early (at the moment).”
Liverpool, who play at Bournemouth on Sunday, top the Premier League on 45 points after 20 games, two points clear of Manchester City. Aston Villa also have 43 points but have played one more game than the two sides above them.
Liverpool will likely be without Trent Alexander-Arnold again on Sunday, Klopp said, after the defender injured his knee in their FA Cup third-round win over Arsenal on Jan. 7.
“Obviously he can walk, on the catwalk,” Klopp said, when asked about Alexander-Arnold being spotted at a fashion show this week in Milan.
“The injuries are all positive, but not ready. (Alexander-Arnold, Andy Robertson and Dominik Szoboszlai) are all going in the right direction but we will see when they can join first-team training. I don’t expect them for Bournemouth.
“I hope that nobody else will be out,” the manager added. “After Bournemouth and maybe for Fulham (League Cup semi-final on Wednesday). Trent is close, Robertson close and Dom close. So all going in the right direction but for the weekend’s game, no.”
-Reuters
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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