AFCON
Facts & Figures Ahead Afcon Qualifiers Matchday 5

The Matchday 5 of the Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025, qualifiers will be played from Wednesday to Saturday across the continent.
Below are the match facts:
WEDNESDAY 13 NOVEMBER
Namibia vs Cameroon
● Namibia extended their losing run to five games in AFCON qualifying with a 3-1 defeat against Zimbabwe last time out, with their last victory in this competition coming against today’s opponents Cameroon in March 2023 (2-1).
● Cameroon are unbeaten in five AFCON qualifiers (W4 D1), winning each of their last two – they’ll be looking to win three in a row for the first time since November 2020.
● Cameroon have made just two changes to their starting lineup across the first four matchdays of AFCON 2025 qualifying, fewer than any other team, with opponents Namibia making four times as many as the indomitable lions (8).
Liberia – Togo
● Liberia are winless in five AFCON qualifying matches (D2 L3), losing each of their last three. In fact. They’ve only won one of their last 11 such matches (2-0 against Djibouti in the preliminary round in March).
● Togo have lost their last two AFCON qualifiers, they haven’t lost three in a row since November 2019.
● No team have lost more points from winning positions than Togo (5) in AFCON 2025 qualifying.
Chad – Sierra Leone
● Chad have only won two of their last 14 AFCON qualifying matches (defeating Mauritius in both legs of the preliminary round in March, D4 L8), while they last won an AFCON qualifier in the main rounds in May 2014 (3-1 against Malawi).
● Sierra Leone beat reigning AFCON Champions Côte d’Ivoire last time out, thanks to Amadou Bakayoko’s 85th minute header, the Leone Stars last won consecutive AFCON qualifying matches in July 2014.
● Chad are the only team yet to score in AFCON 2025 qualifying, they’ve had 31 shots in total so far, with just seven on target – a shooting accuracy of just 23%.
THURSDAY 15 NOVEMBER
Madagascar – Tunisia
● Madagascar remain winless in 14 AFCON qualifying matches (D7 L7), since a 6-2 victory against Niger in November 2019.
● Having won their first two AFCON 2025 qualifiers, Tunisia have failed to win their last two games (D1 L1), they’ve not gone three consecutive AFCON qualifying matches without winning on record (since at least 2006).
● Tunisia have played 166 passes into the box in AFCON 2025 qualifying, at least 14 more than any other team, with all four of their goals so far coming from inside the box.
Burundi – Malawi
● Burundi have lost their last three qualifying matches for AFCON, only winning two of their last 10 such games (D2 L6).
● Malawi are one of three teams to lose their first four AFCON 2025 qualifiers, while the Flames are winless in their last nine AFCON qualifying matches, since a 2-1 victory against Ethiopia in June 2022.
● Burundi have conceded six goals via set-pieces in AFCON 2025 qualifying so far (2 pens, 3 from corners and one direct free-kick), more than any other team, while their three conceded via corners is also the most.
Benin – Nigeria
● Benin have lost their last three AFCON qualifiers against Nigeria, failing to score in their last two.
● Excluding their awarded match against Libya in matchday four, Nigeria are unbeaten in each of their last six AFCON qualifiers, winning five and keeping five clean sheets.
● Ademola Lookman has scored two of Nigeria’s four goals in AFCON 2025 qualifying so far, while for club and country this season he’s netted 10 goals in 16 matches in all competitions.
Rwanda – Libya
● Rwanda earned their first victory in 11 AFCON qualifiers last tie out against Benin (2-1), they haven’t won back-to-back matches in AFCON qualifying since June 2015.
● Libya are winless in their eight AFCON qualifying matches ( D2 L6, excluding the game awarded to Nigeria in MD4), failing to score in five of these matches and never scoring more than once in the others.
● Libya are averaging less than six shots per game (5.7) in AFCON 2025 qualifying so far, fewer than any other team.
Lesotho – Central African Republic
● Lesotho are winless in their last 10 AFCON qualifiers (D2 L8) since a 3-1 victory against the Seychelles in March 2022, failing to score in eight matches in this run.
● Central African Republic have lost five of their last six AFCON qualifiers (W1), failing to score in their last three.
● Sera Motebang is Lesotho’s only goalscorer in AFCON 2025 qualifying so far, he’s had more shots on target (4) than the rest of his teammates combined (3).
Equatorial Guinea – Algeria
● Having won their last two games in AFCON 2025 qualifying, Equatorial Guinea could win three consecutive matches in each of their last three qualifying campaigns for the Africa Cup of Nations.
● Algeria are one of five teams with a 100% win rate in AFCON 2025 qualifying; they’re unbeaten in qualifying for the AFCON in 18 matches (W14 D4), since a 1-0 defeat to Benin in October 2018.
● Only Morocco have scored more goals (14), more goals from open play (10) and more penalties (4) than Algeria (11 goals, 9 from open play, 2 penalties) in AFCON 2025 qualifying.
Niger – Sudan
● Niger are without a win in 13 AFCON qualifying matches (D4 L9) since a 1-0 victory against Ethiopia in November 2020, failing to score in nine of these games.
● Sudan’s goal keeper; Mohamed Mustafa has saved all 12 shots on target he’s faced in AFCON 2025 qualifying, the best 100% save percentage in the competition so far.
● The average age of Sudan’s starting XI in these African 2025 qualifiers is 29yrs 248d, the oldest in the competition so far, while opponents Niger have the second-youngest (24yrs 259d).
South Sudan – Congo
● South Sudan have lost four consecutive AFCON qualifiers for the first time since March 2019 (a run of 6), while they’re winless in each of their last nine (D2 L7).
● Congo have only won one of their last six AFCON qualifiers (D2 L3), a 1-0 victory against today’s opponents South Sudan in MD1 in September, only scoring once across their three matches since (D1 L2).
● Only Morocco (18) have made more changes to their starting XI across the first four matchdays of AFCON 2025 qualifying than South Sudan (17), while no team have used more players than the Bright Stars (28).
Burkina Faso – Senegal
● Senegal are unbeaten in their last six matches against Burkina Faso in all competitions (W2 D4), with both teams scoring in five of these matches.
● Senegal have had the most shots in AFCON 2025 qualifying so far (76), although they’ve only scored from 9.2% of their attempts (7/76), with 20 teams currently having a better shot conversion rate in the competition.
● Burkina Faso have scored four headed goals in AFCON 2025 qualifying so far, twice as many as any other team, with all four goals being scored by different players (Lassina Traoré, Dango Outtara, Issoufou Dayo and Mohamed Konaté).
FRIDAY 15 NOVEMBER
Gambia – Comoros
● Gambia have only lost one of their last seven AFCON qualifiers (W3 D3), scoring at least once in each game.
● Comoros are unbeaten in their last six AFCON qualifying matches (W2 D4), scoring exactly once in each game.
● Yankuba Minteh has been directly involved in three of Gambia’s four goals in AFCON 2025 qualifying so far (1 goal, 2 assists), while only Mozambique’s Geny Catamo (13) has completed more dribbles than the Gambian (12) in the competition.
Gabon – Morocco
● Since losing to Morocco (4-1) on matchday one, Gabon are unbeaten in their last three AFCON qualifiers (W2 D1), their longest such run without defeat since November 2020 (4 games, W2 D2)
● Morocco have scored the most goals (14) in the competition so far, while they have also outperformed their expected goals tally by more than four goals, the biggest such difference across the first four matchdays (14 goals, 9.9 xG).
● Gabon’s Dénis Bouanga had had the most shots (23) and shots on target (10) of any player so far in AFCON 2025 qualifying, although he’s yet to score a goal in the competition. Indeed, he’s been involved in more shot-ending sequences in open play (31) than any other player.
Cabo Verde – Egypt
● Cabo Verde have lost four of their last five AFCON qualifiers (W1), including a 3-0 defeat to Egypt in September.
● Egypt have won each of their last eight qualifying matches for the Africa Cup of Nations by an aggregate score of 19-1 since a 0-2 defeat to Ethiopia in June 2022.
● Trézéguet has scored (3) or assisted (1) four of Egypt’s last seven goals in AFCON qualifying, scoring with all three of his shots on target in this qualifying campaign.
Botswana – Mauritania
● Mauritania have won each of their last three AFCON qualifiers against Botswana, all by a margin of a single goal (2x 1-0 and 1x 2-1).
● Botswana have won both of their last two AFCON qualifiers (both 1-0 v Cabo Verde), more than their previous 10 beforehand (W1 D1 L8).
● Mauritania have lost each of their last three AFCON qualifying matches without scoring, as many defeats as their previous 13 such qualifiers beforehand (W6 D4 L3).
Angola – Ghana
● Angola have won all four of their qualifying matches for AFCON 2025, keeping three clean sheets in the process.
● Only Chad (0) have scored fewer goals and have a lower shot conversion rate in 2025 AFCON qualifying heading into the November fixtures than Ghana, who have just one goal from 51 shots (2.0% conversion).
● Ghana’s Mohammed Kudus has the highest expected goals tally (3.34) in AFCON 2025 qualifying so far, despite not yet scoring in the competition, having had 16 attempts at goal and missing more big chances than any other player (6).
Zambia – Côte d’Ivoire
● Côte d’Ivoire have won three of their last four meetings with Zambia in all competitions, with the other a 3-0 AFCON qualifying loss in June 2023.
● Zambia have only lost one of their last nine AFCON qualifiers (W6 D2), keeping a clean sheet in four of their last seven, including both of their last two. That defeat, however, was to Côte d’Ivoire in September.
● Côte d’Ivoire’s Jean-Philippe Krasso has been directly involved in five goals in his last eight AFCON qualifier appearances (4 goals, 1 assist) despite only starting four of them.
Mozambique – Mali
● Mozambique have won four and lost none of their last six AFCON qualifiers (D2), more wins than their previous 15 such games beforehand (W3 D4 L8).
● Mali haven’t conceded more than one goal in any of their last 15 AFCON qualifiers (5 goals conceded, 10 clean sheets) since a 2-2 draw with Guinea in November 2019. They have kept a clean sheet in each of their last three such fixtures.
● Mozambique’s Bruno Langa has more assists (4) than any player in 2025 AFCON qualifying heading into the November fixtures, setting up over half of his nation’s goals this campaign (4/7).
Eswatini – Guinea-Bissau
● Eswatini have failed to score in seven of their last eight matches in AFCON qualifiers (ex. preliminary round), scoring only in a 1-1 draw with Mozambique in October.
● Guinea-Bissau are without a win any of their last three AFCON qualifiers (D1 L2), and could fail to score in three successive such games for the first time since November 2020.
● Only Chad (32.7%) and South Sudan (33.8%) have averaged a lower amount of possession in AFCON 2025 qualifying than Eswatini (35.1%).
Zimbabwe – Kenya
● Zimbabwe are unbeaten in their previous six AFCON qualifiers (W2 D2); they last enjoyed a longer such run in June 2016 (W3 D3).
● Kenya have lost each of their last two AFCON qualifiers; they last lost three in succession in March 2016.
● 50% of Zimbabwe’s goals scored in AFCON 2025 qualifying have come via penalties (2/4), the joint-highest such proportion for a side in qualifying.
Uganda – South Africa
● Uganda have won each of their last three AFCON qualifiers, one more than in their previous 10 such outings (D3 L5).
● South Africa are unbeaten in their previous seven AFCON qualifiers (W4 D3), while they’re scored in each of their last eight such games (18 goals).
● Only Mozambique’s Bruno Langa (4) has more assists in AFCON 2025 qualifying than both Uganda’s Allan Okello and South Africa’s Oswin Appollis (both 3), with no player creating more chances than the South African in qualifying so far (12).
SATURDAY 16 NOVEMBER 2024
Guinea – DR Congo
● Guinea are looking to win three successive AFCON qualifiers for the first time since March 2023, though they did lose 1-0 the last time they played DR Congo in September.
● DR Congo have won each of their last eight AFCON qualifiers, scoring 16 goals and conceding none; by comparison they had only won two of their prior eight such games (D3 L3).
● Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy is the top goal scorer in AFCON 2025 qualifying, netting five goals from just six shots, despite only playing in two matches so far.
Ethiopia – Tanzania
● Ethiopia are winless in their last eight AFCON qualifiers (D2 L6), losing their last three such games by an aggregate score of 1-9.
● Tanzania have lost each of their last two AFCON qualifiers, both to DR Congo without scoring; they’ve not lost three successive such games before on record (since at least 2006).
● Only Congo (-4.23) and Central African Republic (-3.68) have a lower negative differential between goals conceded and expected goals conceded in AFCON 2025 qualifying than Ethiopia (-2.85, 9 goals conceded and 6.15 expected goals against).
AFCON
Royal Air Maroc named official partner for AFCON 2025, WAFCON 2024

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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AFCON
Morocco speeds up stadium upgrades ahead of AFCON 2025

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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