AFCON
Poor South Africa! Gets CAF presidency; loses Afcon and World Cup slots!
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
As it happened in the qualifying series for the delayed Africa Cup of Nations holding in 2022, South
Africa’s Bafana Bafana have agonizingly crashed out of contention for a place
at the 2022 World Cup.
Among those eliminated in Africa, South Africa suffered the most pathetic fate, losing out to Ghana
even when both had 13 points each and the same goal difference.
They were eliminated on the third tier of tie-breaking procedure – scoring lesser cumulative goals
than Ghana.
Sports Village Square recalls that Ghana was partly responsible for the elimination of South Africa
from the Africa Cup of Nations holding in Cameroon in January.
South Africa finished third on the group log behind Ghana and Sudan.
Thus, the 1996 Africa Cup winners as well as participants at the 1998, 2002 and 2010 World Cups will
have to wait till the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire to be at a
major football tournament.
But for now, for the first time since 1988, the Africa Cup of Nations will hold without the national
team of the CAF president featuring.
Sudan beat South Africa 2-0 on in the last qualifying day to pick the second ticket of their Group
C.
It is the second time Sudan who are now in the same final group with Nigeria, will qualify since a dramatic injury-time induced elimination of Nigeria for the 2012 edition.
Ten years ago, Sudan were already eliminated on the field after losing their last qualifiers
to Ghana at home.
But mother luck ran their way as Nigeria, wrongly thinking they needed a two-goal advantage win
over visiting Guinea had their initial 2-1 lead cancelled following a 96th minute injury time equalizer by Guinea in the very last match the Super Eagles has since played in Abuja.
Thus, an already eliminated Sudan came in as one of the best runners-up in the groups and
Nigeria got eliminated.
So in January, the CAF President, Patrice Mostsepe of South Africa will be presiding over his first
AFCON but without his own national team.
The last time that happened was in Morocco 1988 when acting CAF president, Abdel Halim Muhammad of
Sudan’s team did not qualify.
Abdel Halim Muhammad was acting for the late CAF president, Yidnekatchew Tessema of Ethiopia who
died in the previous year.
Successor to Abdel Halim Muhammad, Issa Hayatou of Cameroon had his team featuring throughout his
long tenure.
Even one-term president, Ahmad of Madagascar had his team as debutants at the 2019 edition in
Egypt.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commended the Super Eagles for their impressive performance in the 4–0 victory over Benin Republic, praising the team for keeping Nigeria’s qualification hopes for the 2026 FIFA World Cup alive.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Adebayo Onanuga, the President lauded the players for their “hunger, passion, and determination” during the crucial qualifier in Uyo, describing their display as one that has “reignited Nigerians’ football pride.”
“While the job is not yet complete, I join millions of Nigerian football fans in wishing our team every success in the playoffs,” Tinubu said. “The mood across the country reflects a shared belief that Nigeria deserves a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which Canada, Mexico, and the United States will host.”
Reaffirming the government’s backing, President Tinubu assured the players and coaching crew of full Federal Government support as they prepare for the decisive play-off stage.
“Nigerians everywhere believe in you, and I do too,” he said. “We look forward to seeing you fly our flag proudly on the world stage.”
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The Organizing Committee of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 has announced a strong start to ticket sales, confirming that 58,000 tickets had been sold as of Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
According to an official update, the enthusiasm for the continental showpiece has also been reflected on the Yalla App, where 145,731 applications have been received so far. In addition, a total of 121,924 FAN IDs have been issued, including 31,058 belonging to foreign nationals representing 108 countries around the world.
In response to the overwhelming demand, the committee disclosed that technical teams are working round the clock to enhance the ticketing and FAN ID systems to ensure smooth processing for fans.
To assist applicants and ensure better communication, the organizers have provided a dedicated customer service line: +212 5 30 30 20 30. The hotline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in Arabic, English, and French, and is staffed by over 600 agents trained to respond to inquiries and provide user support.
Fans can also reach the support team via email at info@yallamorocco.ma.
The Organizing Committee expressed gratitude to supporters, media representatives, delegations, and partners for their enthusiasm and reaffirmed its commitment to delivering a seamless and memorable experience for all stakeholders during AFCON Morocco 2025.
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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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