AFCON
Lessons Of History Favour Super Eagles In Potentially Explosive Clash With Cameroon –
BY ADEMOLA OLAJIRE
History, pedigree, current form and turf familiarity are factors weighing heavily in favour of the Super Eagles as they confront the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in the Round of 16 at the 34th Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday.
Five-time champions Cameroon prosecuted their group phase games in Yamoussoukro, and have now arrived in Cote d’Ivoire’s commercial and industrial capital for Saturday’s potentially-explosive encounter with three-time champions Nigeria.
In effect, Nigeria and Cameroon have clashed in 17 competitive matches since their first of such matches in the Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah Cup on 8th December 1962, which Nigeria won 3-1. Of those 17 matches, Cameroon have won only 4 – three of these in the Final matches of the Africa Cup of Nations in 1984, 1988 and 2000. The only other time Cameroon have beaten Nigeria in a competitive match was on 27th August 1989, when Francois Omam Biyick scored the only goal in Yaounde that eliminated Nigeria from the race to the 1990 FIFA World Cup finals in Italy.
Nigeria have won nine of the other 13 matches, including a 2-1 defeat of Cameroon in the bronze medal-match of the 1992 AFCON; a 2-0 triumph in a 1990 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Ibadan; a 3-2 win in Yaounde in a 1970 World Cup qualifier; a 2-1 win in Monastir in a 2004 AFCON quarter-final; a 4-0 win in Uyo in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier and; a 3-2 win in Alexandria in a 2019 AFCON Round of 16 clash.
More than the above, the Super Eagles presently boast the Africa Player of the Year in Victor Osimhen, and the Super Eagles have more familiarity with the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, where they pipped Guinea Bissau 1-0 on Monday to make sure of their place in this competition’s Round of 16.
Nigeria have reached the Round of 16 after scooping seven points, unbeaten in their three matches; Cameroon were battered 3-1 by Cup holders Senegal and fought hard to overcome The Gambia in added time to make sure of a place in the knock-out rounds.
As both teams prepare for the big day, thenff.com takes a cursory look at the SEVEN previous clashes involving Nigeria and Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations – the continent’s flagship football championship:
1) 1984 AFCON FINAL MATCH: Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan
Coach Adegboye Onigbinde brought in Patrick Okala for Peter Rufai, who was injured in a bruising semi-final encounter with Egypt, which went to penalties in Bouake four days earlier. Bala Ali, who got the equalizer in that match, started in place of Chibuzor Ehilegbu. Rapid winger Clement Temile, two-goal hero against Malawi in the group phase, also started from the bench, with Stephen Keshi, Kingsley Paul, Paul Okoku, Muda Lawal, Humphrey Edobor, Yisa Sofoluwe and James Etokebe among the starters.
Etokebe sprinted to a through pass by Edobor and made a pull-out that Antoine-Bell fumbled for Muda Lawal to lash in for Nigeria’s goal. A free-kick late in the first half brushed Keshi’s head to fly past Okala for the equalizer, and Abega put Cameroon in front before Eugene Ekoule’s winner. The Lions deployed their huge experience and exposure at the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain, where they exited at group phase without losing any of their matches against Poland, Peru and eventual winners Italy.
2) 1988 AFCON GROUP PHASE MATCH: Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah, Rabat
Samuel Okwaraji, who only joined the team the previous year, scored with a scorching left-footed shot after only two minutes, but Cameroon equalized 20 minutes later with a header by Roger Milla, with the Nigeria defence thinking they had kept him offside. The draw followed a 3-0 defeat of Kenya, and meant Nigeria only needed a draw in their next match against Egypt (which they got) to reach the semi finals.
Goalkeeper Peter Rufai, defenders Yisa Sofoluwe, Andrew Uwe, Sunday Eboigbe and Bright Omokaro, midfielders Henry Nwosu and Ademola Adeshina, and forwards Okwaraji and Rashidi Yekini were among those involved.
3) 1988 AFCON FINAL MATCH: Stade King Mohamed V, Casablanca
Nigeria, who had survived another bruising semi-final, in which they went to penalty shootout with Algeria after a 1-1 draw after regulation and extra time, started brightly with Ndubuisi Okosieme installed on the right, Humphrey Edobor on the left and livewire Henry Nwosu all over the place.
Henry Nwosu’s powerful header from Sam Okwaraji’s pull-out on the right sailed past Antoine-Bell, but referee Idrissa Sarr from Mauritania ruled off the strike. Cameroon scored with 10 minutes into the second half, when Eboigbe impeded Roger Milla and Emmanuel Kunde fired past Peter Rufai from the spot.
3) 1992 AFCON BRONZE MEDAL MATCH: Stade de l’Amitie, Dakar
Both teams needed to self-motivate after losing their semi-final matches, with the Eagles bumped by Ghana and Cameroon ejected after a penalty shootout by eventual winners Cote d’Ivoire. Coach Philippe Redon had dropped goalkeeper Antoine-Bell, who lost the crucial penalty against the Ivorians, and brought in Jacques Songo’o. The Lions’ squad also included Emile Mbouh, Benjamin Massing, Cyril Makanaky, Jean-Claude Pagal and Kessack Maboang.
Nigeria had Alloy Agu in goal, and also included Emeka Ezeugo, Isaac Semitoje, Nduka Ugbade, Reuben Agboola, Victor Ikpeba, Friday Ekpo, Mutiu Adepoju, Finidi George and Rashidi Yekini. Ekpo fired home from a 22-yard free-kick to give Nigeria the lead with 15 minutes to go, but the Lions equalized in the 85th minute through Bahoang. Yekini, who had scored three goals earlier in the tournament (two against Kenya and one against Zaire), got the winner from an acute angle with two minutes left.
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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