AFCON
Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea book Cup of Nations berths without playing
Holders Cote d’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea became the latest countries to qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals but did not have to kick a ball to do so, as the penultimate round of qualifiers began on Wednesday.
The Ivorians, winners at the last finals which they hosted at the start of the year, are certain of finishing in the top two places in Group G after Sierra Leone were held to a 1-1 draw by Chad in Abidjan.
The Ivorians sit on nine points from four matches, with Zambia second in the group on seven from four. Sierra Leone have five points with one game to play and Chad are eliminated.
Chad moved the clash to the Ivory Coast because they are one of 18 countries barred from hosting international matches because of the poor state of their stadia.
They went a goal behind to Abu-Diaby Dumbuya’s stunning 29th-minute effort but equalised with a Panenka-style penalty from defender Mahamat Thiam five minutes later.
A 1-0 win for Liberia over Togo in Monrovia in Group E eliminated both countries and guaranteed Equatorial Guinea progress to the tournament in Morocco, which is to be played from Dec. 21, 2025 to Jan. 18, 2026. The top two sides in each of the 12 qualifying groups advance to the finals.
Equatorial Guinea, who were a surprise package at the last finals, sit on seven points from their four matches, while Liberia who have four points from five games and Togo have two
Even if Liberia finish with same points tally as Equatorial Guinea, who host group leaders Algeria on Thursday, they cannot overhaul them in the standings because of the head-to-head record between the two.
Equatorial Guinea beat Liberia home and away last month, but on Wednesday substitute Mohammed Sangare, who came through the ranks at Newcastle United but now plays his club football in Switzerland, tucked away an 83rd-minute penalty to ensure Liberia’s first win of the group.
It was also a maiden victory for caretaker coach Thomas Kojo, drafted in last month after Romanian Mario Marinica was fired.
Earlier on Wednesday, Cameroon hung on for a goalless draw away against Namibia in their Group J clash played in Johannesburg, South Africa
Namibia came close to snatching victory midway through the second half when diminutive forward Prins Tjiueza hit the upright with a header and then slammed the rebound onto the same post as Andre Onana kept a clean sheet for a fourth time in five matches in the qualifiers.
Cameroon had already qualified from Group J while it was the first point of the campaign for the already-eliminated Namibia.
Afterwards, Cameroon coach Marc Brys bemoaned the poor organisation which saw his side arrive less than 24 hours before kick off and have to do without Brentford striker Bryan Mbeumo and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, who did not make it to the game on the time after playing in the Premier League at the weekend.
Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, the Ivory Coast and Cameroon are joined by Angola, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Morocco and Senegal in the finals.
More places should be decided on Thursday when a further nine qualifiers are played around the continent, with the likes of Nigeria, Sudan and Tunisia looking likely to book their tickets to Morocco.
-Reuters
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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