AFCON
SOUTH AFRICA BLACKOUTS BROADCAST OF MATCH WITH SUPER EAGLES
The Saturday crunch Africa Cup of Nations’ qualifying match between South Africa and Nigeria will be blackout on television in South Africa.
Sports Village Square cannot verify whether it is a ploy to get the fans to the massive calabash-shaped FNB Stadium, the venue of the match as officials lamented earlier in the week that only 7, 300 tickets had been sold.
The stadium, when in full capacity, seats over 94,000. But the official explanation for the local television blackout is the South African Football Association (SAFA) and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) will not be broadcast owing to failure in rights’ negotiation.
According to a local publication, Sowetan, football-mad South Africans will once again face a national team blackout on the public broadcaster when Bafana take on the Super Eagles of Nigeria in a crucial 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying match at FNB Stadium.
“The SABC and SAFA have reached a deadlock in their (latest) negotiations on the coverage of the home matches for Bafana Bafana Afcon qualifier matches‚” said SABC spokesperson Neo Momodu on Wednesday.
Safa acting chief executive Russell Paul revealed that the two parties met two weeks ago in a fresh bid to look at ways to work with each other for future Bafana home matches but nothing came off the meeting.
Paul said Safa tried to come up with a concept of pay-as-you-go arrangement with the SABC as there is no contract in place between the two parties‚ but again it yielded no positive results.
“We have discussed with the SABC opportunities and possibilities of how we can work with each other on a game-by-game arrangement but still they have declined‚” said Paul.
Kickoff for the Bafana match is at 3pm on Saturday on two pay-TV SuperSport channels – SS4 and SS10.
Banyana play their Nigerian counterparts a day later in the fishing port city of Cape Coast (5.15pm).
Banyana have been drawn with Nigeria‚ Zambia and Kenya in Group B for the tournament that will be staged in Ghana from November 17 to December 1.
The annual Nelson Mandela Challenge Cup versus Paraguay on Tuesday‚ in honour of the revered former statesman at Durban Moses Mabhida Stadium‚ will also not be televised live on SABC platforms.
SABC and SAFA are at loggerheads because of monetary valuation of broadcast rights to national teams’ home matches.
The SABC has been paying SAFA R110m for the broadcast rights to the Bafana‚ Banyana Banyana and junior national team matches for the past three years.
But the cash-strapped public broadcaster offered just R10m for the same rights for a new deal after the initial contract expired in April this year.
The SABC is sticking to its offer of R10m while SAFA continues to reject it outright
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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