AFCON
CAF STRIPS COTE D’IVOIRE OF 2021 AFCON, GIVES IT TO CAMEROON
It may have become a season of losing hosting rights of CAF Competitions. Last year, Madagascar, home country of CAF president, Ahmad was stripped of the rights to host 2017 CAF U-17 Nations Cup by the then CAF president, Issa Hayatou.
Same year, Ahmad’s CAF Executive Committee stripped Kenya of the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) and offered it to Morocco.
At the weekend, Cameroon lost its hosting rights for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. The same bug might have caught up with Cote d’Ivoire which on January 24, 2014 was conferred with the rights for 2021 may have also lost its grip of the competition.
Sports Village Square gathered from Kenya’s Daily Nation that Cameroon will now host the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations after being stripped of the rights to host next year’s edition.
The publication monitored an interview of Ahmad on Pan African television channel, Afrique Media on Monday night.
According to Ahmad, Cameroon was stripped of the 2019 Afcon rights to avoid a repeat of 2010 where some players (from Togo) came under attack by Cabinda separatists in Angola besides delays in infrastructural preparations.
Gunmen attacked a bus transporting the Togolese national team to Angola for the 2010 tournament killing three people and wounding many others.
The attackers fired at the vehicle when it crossed from the Republic of Congo into Angola’s oil-rich enclave of Cabinda. Rebels who were fighting for the independence of the region later claimed responsibility for the attack.
Ahmad was quoted as saying that CAF paid dearly for the Cabinda incident and “can’t take that risk again” for Cameroon that is facing two major security threats; the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northern regions and an armed separatist movement in the two English speaking regions.
He said all 20 members of the CAF executive committee who were present in Accra, Ghana last Friday unanimously agreed that it was not possible to stage the 2019 tournament in Cameroon and asked the Central African country to continue preparations to host the 2021 edition because the initial hosts Cote d’Ivoire will not be ready by then.
“We have seen that Cote d’Ivoire will not be ready to host Afcon in 2021. So the Executive committee has confirmed Cameroon as host of 2021
“We have taken the decision for the good of African football on the basis of rules and regulations of the game in force,” Ahmad said promising CAF will be ready to defend its decision should Cameroon appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
No Africa Cup of Nations competition has taken place in originally designated host country since 2013. The stripping of Cote d’Ivoire of 2021 Africa Cup of Nations’ rights means that the competition will be having almost 10 years of unstable hosting.
According to Daily Nation of Kenya, Ahmad denied reports that the withdrawal of the 2019 Afcon hosting rights from Cameroon was an attempt to settle scores with his predecessor Issa Hayatou, saying he has never criticized the management of the continental soccer body during Hayatou’s reign.
Hayatou revoked the hosting rights of the 2017 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations from Ahmad’s Madagascar in the days leading to the 2017 CAF elections in Ethiopia.
“Even when journalists tried repeatedly to urge me to comment on his [Issa Hayatou] reign, I always avoided it and told them it was their role not mine. It is not possible that withdrawing Afcon 2019 from Cameroon implies I’m settling scores with my predecessor, a Cameroonian,” Ahmad stated.
The Cameroon government has said works on infrastructure will continue at the same pace despite the “surprising decision” by the continental football body.
“This decision is unmerited considering the resolve of the Head of State and the people of Cameroon to make all-out effort to host a remarkable celebration of African football in 2019,” Cameroon Communication Minister and government spokesperson, Issa Tchiroma Bakary said.
“Cameroon has put in a creditable performance. It shall prove it to the entire world by continuing with the same determination and completing the construction of these modern infrastructures belonging to the Cameroonian people on time, as pledged by the Head of State,” he promised.
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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