AFCON
Bafana Bafana Come With Intimidating Record
Nigeria may have been having the upper hands in the past encounters with the South African national team, but the squad arriving through Lagos on Wednesday night comes with in intimidating credentials.
Sports Village Square gathered from South African sources that the Bafana Bafana team has remained unbeaten in 17 consecutive matches.
This is two matches shot of the longest unbeaten run Nigeria ever had when the late Stephen Keshi had 19-match unbeaten run from June 3, 2012 lone goal defeat of Namibia in Calabar till Diego Forlan inspired Uruguay to a 2-1 in the June 20, 2013 FIFA Confederation Cup tie in Salvador, Brazil.
But South Africa’s 17-game unbeaten run will face one of its most acidic tests on Saturday when they meet Super Eagles.
According to South African sources, Bafana Bafana has not tasted defeat since a losing 2-0 at home to Angola in an African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier in October 2015.
Since then they have beaten Egypt and Senegal‚ and drawn with African champions Cameroon (twice) though all but one of those matches was at home.
But the South African publication, Timeslive wrongly believes it is the longest unbeaten run by an African nation. But the publication conceded that many of the continent’s top teams have faced much stiffer opposition than Bafana over the last two years.
Eight of Bafana’s matches have been against teams from the COSAFA region‚ who they rarely lose to‚ while also included in the run are games against Gambia‚ Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau‚ matches South Africa would also expect to at least draw.
“Facing nemesis Nigeria away is a different proposition‚ though if they can avoid defeat will be confident of extending their unbeaten run considerably further with Zambia and then the COSAFA Castle Cup to come at home‚ as well as home and away ties with Botswana in the (CHAN) qualifiers in July.
On the other hand, Nigeria have only lost one competitive fixture at home in 36 years‚ a shock 3-2 loss to Congo-Brazzaville in 2014‚ which is also their only ever home loss in the Nations Cup qualifiers since they first entered the preliminary competition in 1961.
In Bafana’s current unbeaten run they have won nine matches and drawn eight. BAFANA BAFANA’S UNBEATEN RUN
24/10/15 (a) v Angola 2-1 (Fabrício 29’og‚ Lakay 90’)
13/11/15 (a) v Angola 3-1 (Rantie 13’‚ Gabuza 20’‚ Jali 80’pen)
17/11/15 (h) v Angola 1-0 (Diniz 69’og)
26/03/16 (a) v Cameroon 2-2 (Rantie 17’‚ Kekana 50’)
29/03/16 (h) v Cameroon 0-0
05/06/16 (a) v Gambia 4-0 (Gabuza 30’‚ 38’‚ Dolly 56’‚ 80’)
18/06/16 (a) v Lesotho 1-1 (Motupa 66’)
22/06/16 (a) v Swaziland 5-1 (Kutumela 52’‚ Phiri 57’‚ Masuku 60’‚ 83’‚ Moseamedi 75’)
25/06/16 (a) v Botswana 3-2 (Motupa 33’pen‚ 88’pen‚ Kutumela 66’)
02/09/16 (h) v Mauritania 1-1 (Kekana 26’)
06/09/16 (h) v Egypt 1-0 (Makola 7’)
08/10/16 (a) v Burkina Faso 1-1 (Furman 80’)
11/10/16 (h) v Ghana 1-1 (Patosi 52’)
12/11/16 (h) v Senegal 2-1 (Hlatshwayo 43’pen‚ Serero 45’)
16/11/16 (a) v Mozambique 1-1 (Grobler 56’)
25/03/17 (h) v Guinea-Bissau 3-1 (Erasmus 35’pen‚ Tau 69’‚ Jali 89’pen)
28/03/17 (h) v Angola 0-0
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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