AFCON
Angola shock Ghana in Cup of Nations qualifying
Angola produced the first shock of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as they snatched a last-minute goal to win away against Ghana in one of seven matches played around the continent on Thursday.
Former African champions Algeria and Tunisia both won at home, while there was also success for Burundi, the Central African Republic, Congo and Guinea Bissau as teams began the group phase competition to decide the line-up for the finals in Morocco in December next year.
Angolan substitute Milson took advantage of a defensive blunder to score three minutes into stoppage time in the Group F clash in Kumasi.
Angola had held out against a strong Ghana side, with Mohammed Kudus threatening to find the net as he led home hopes but ultimately proved unable.
Burundi’s 3-2 win in Malawi in Group L marked a rare away success for the small east African country, with Mokono Eldinho snatching their 87th minute winner.
Riyad Mahrez returned to the Algeria line-up against Equatorial Guinea in Oran after being dropped for their June World Cup qualifiers and squandered a first half penalty. But his rasping shot some 20 minutes from time allowed Houssem-Eddine Aouar to snap up the rebound, bending down low to power home a header for the opening goal of the Group E encounter. Amine Gouiri added a second near the end.
Tunisia scrambled a goal eight minutes into stoppage time to overcome Madagascar in their Group A clash as veteran coach Faouzi Benzerti, 74, returned to the helm of the team 30 years after his first appointment.
American-based midfielder Bura got Guinea Bissau’s winner over Eswatini in Group I while there was also a 1-0 home win for Congo over South Sudan in Group K, where the only goal came early from Chandrel Massanga.
The Central African Republic overcame the lack of home advantage to beat Lesotho 3-1 in El Jadida, Morocco. They are among the many African countries who may not host qualifiers because their stadia have been declared unsuitable for use in international matches.
Louis Mafouta, who got a hat-trick in World Cup qualifying three months ago, scored two of the Central African Republic’s goals.
The top two teams in each of the 12 groups qualify for the next finals. There will be two sets of qualifiers per team in this international window followed by two more in October and the last two in November, after which the field for the finals will be decided.
-Reuters
Ticket sales for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 will officially open on Monday, 13 October 2025, with an exclusive 48-hour pre-sale window reserved for Visa cardholders, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced.
Fans across Africa and around the world will be able to secure their seats for what promises to be the continent’s biggest football spectacle, which will run from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.
The special Visa pre-sale period will run from Monday, 13 October at 09:00 Moroccan time (08:00 GMT) until Wednesday, 15 October at 08:00 GMT, before general ticket sales open to all fans using other payment methods.
To streamline ticket purchases and enhance security, the Local Organizing Committee has launched the YALLA App, an integrated digital platform for fans to obtain their Fan ID — a mandatory requirement for buying tickets — and apply for E-Visas (AEVM) where necessary.
According to organizers, each registered Fan ID allows supporters to buy only one ticket per match, ensuring wider access and transparency in ticket distribution.
The process for obtaining tickets is straightforward:
- Download the YALLA App, available on Google Play and the App Store.
- Apply for a Fan ID and E-Visa (if required) through the app.
- Once approved, Visa cardholders can visit tickets.cafonline.com starting from Monday, 13 October at 09:00 Moroccan time (08:00 GMT) to purchase their AFCON 2025 tickets.
The 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco is expected to deliver a festival of football and culture, with fans urged to complete their Fan ID registration early to avoid last-minute rushes.
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Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Coach Augustine Eguavoen, has strongly condemned media reports suggesting that he is being considered to take over as Super Eagles Head Coach ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) should current handler Eric Chelle fail to secure qualification for next year’s FIFA World Cup.
Speaking on Wednesday, the former Super Eagles captain described the reports as false, misleading, and damaging, insisting that he maintains a cordial and professional relationship with Coach Chelle.
“I feel very hurt by these baseless rumours because I really have no idea where they are coming from,” Eguavoen said. “I have a very good working relationship with Coach Eric Chelle, and I have absolutely no interest in taking over the squad. I am praying for him to succeed.”
Eguavoen, who has previously served as interim head coach of the national team, expressed frustration that such speculation was resurfacing, warning that it could undermine team unity ahead of major assignments.
“This was how the same speculators created schism and disaffection between myself and Gernot Rohr, and later José Peseiro, when they coached the Super Eagles at different periods,” he recalled. “It is uncalled-for. We all need to work together to see the Super Eagles qualify for the World Cup and win the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.”
The NFF Technical Director reiterated his commitment to supporting the technical crew and fostering a collaborative atmosphere that will enable Nigeria’s senior team to achieve its set goals.
“Our collective focus should be on progress, not distractions,” he added. “Everyone in the system is working towards one goal — success for Nigeria.”
The Super Eagles are currently deep in preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, while their FIFA World Cup qualification campaign resumes later this year.
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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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