AFCON
CAF hammer set to fall on Libya as Motsepe vows zero tolerance of maltreatment of visiting teams
On the sidelines of the 46th General Assembly of CAF in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the CAF President remarked on the ill-treatment meted to the Super Eagles in an ill-fated Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match.
The continental body which has instituted an investigation has used the instance to tell the African football delegates of CAF’s zero tolerance of inhospitable acts.
Signposting his general remarks on the Libya-Nigeria episode, Dr Patrice Motsepe disclosed how he was woken up in the middle of the night about the issues in Libya.
“…Usually when I sleep, I’ve got my cell phone next to me, and it’s always open because and particularly, we’ve got 80,000 employees at the mines where I’m the either executive chairman or chairman.
“So I’ve got to be and particularly if there’s an accident at one of those mines. I’ve got to know immediately. But of course, I’ve got lots of other responsibilities.
“I keep my phone open throughout the night and sometimes, I get the most somebody phones me and says that, my son has applied for a scholarship for you from your foundation. We haven’t heard from that.
“So, but it’s fine. I don’t know where they got my number, but it’s okay. There’s a reason why the phone is open.
“Let me tell you why I refer to that. It’s because when there was this problem with the Nigerian national team in Libya, and I will not comment on that because there’s a proper investigation, but I want to emphasize a principle that we will not tolerate because this is something that has been going on for quite some time.”
“Your national team let me emphasize, forget about the Nigeria and Libya situation because that process has been properly investigated and appropriate action will be taken.
“Appropriate action will be taken. I’ve heard too many stories of a football club or a national team goes to a country.
“You spend hours at the airport, and they ask you about documents that don’t exist.
“And, apparently, during COVID, they would look at who the best players are from your national team and say, those 10 players, they’ve got COVID.
“And you say, but we we’ve just been tested. No. No. No. No.
They’ve got COVID. But it’s this lack of sportsmanship that has existed, and we haven’t taken effective action.
“So I just wanna repeat. We are proud of those nations that treats visiting national teams and visiting football clubs with the respect and dignity that they deserve, but also who treat them in the same way
“They wanna be treated when they visit those countries. So I just wanna repeat, we’re reviewing those laws, and we want to emphasize sportsmanship.”
When a national team from another country visits or a football club visits, treat them with the dignity and respect that it that they deserve. And if there are violations of those regulations and that and those rules, we will take action.”
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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AFCON
CAF Security Chief, Nigeria’s Emeruwa, Leads Inspection of Tangier Stadium Ahead of Major Tournaments
Nigeria’s Dr. Christian Emeruwa, President of the Security and Safety Division of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), on Thursday, September 18, led an inspection visit to the Grand Stade de Tangier as preparations intensify for upcoming continental and global football events.
Emeruwa, who heads CAF’s continental security architecture, was joined by CAF Secretary General Véron Mosengo-Omba, senior Moroccan officials, and executives of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF).
The delegation also included managers of operational companies at the Grand Stade and SONARGES executives.
According to Le 360, the Nigerian official expressed satisfaction with the stadium’s facilities after touring key operational areas, including the main control room with its giant surveillance screen, as well as spectator, player, and VIP access zones.
The inspection was bolstered by the presence of Morocco’s top security and administrative officers—the regional commander of the Royal Gendarmerie, officials of the Auxiliary Forces and Civil Protection, the Wali of Security, the governor in charge of Internal Affairs, and representatives of the National Agency for Public Equipment (ANEP).
A technical meeting followed the tour, where engineers presented recent safety and security upgrades. Among the highlights was the planned installation of a FIFA-standard tarpaulin roof to enhance the venue’s compliance with global hosting requirements.
For Nigeria, the spotlight on Dr. Emeruwa underscores the country’s growing influence in African football administration, particularly in the critical areas of safety and security management for CAF competitions.
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Morocco has received 723 high-end buses from Chinese manufacturer Yutong as part of preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which kicks off on December 21.
Yutong said on social media that the fleet “has officially rolled off the production line” and will provide “comprehensive transport services and reliable operational support” during the tournament.
An official handover ceremony was held on Friday at the company’s facility in Zhengzhou, Henan province, attended by Moroccan representatives and Yutong executives.
The buses were designed to cope with Morocco’s terrain and climate, including steep slopes, heat and sandstorms. They feature an independent front axle suspension to navigate narrow city streets and Yutong’s in-house “Blue Core System” for fuel efficiency.
The delivery is the largest single order of Chinese buses in Africa. Yutong will station more than 100 technicians in Morocco to provide training, maintenance and round-the-clock support during AFCON.
The deal is part of Morocco’s broader transport strategy, which includes plans to purchase 7,000 new buses by 2030—half of them electric—as the country prepares to co-host the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
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