AFCON
LINGUISTIC LINES AS CAF U20 HITS FINAL STAGE
The final matches of the 2019 Africa U20 Nations Cup have inadvertently taken a linguistic colouration. Two Anglophone countries, Nigeria and South Africa play the losers’ final match which Francophone Senegal take on their Malian counterparts.
Co-incidentally, both matches slated for Saturday are repeat fixtures of earlier ones in the group stage.
For the final, Senegal had
earlier won 2-0 when they faced Mali in Group B while Nigeria and South Africa
played goalless in MatchDay 2 of Group A.
For Nigeria and South Africa, it is a continuation of a building up football rivalry. Since October, both countries had met at different levels of continental championships.
Saturday’s clash will be the sixth-football related clash of both countries since November 2018 when their national teams met in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Since, their women’s national teams met twice mid November and early December, Lobi Stars and Mamelodi Sundowns met at CAF Champions’ League before the Flying Eagles and Amajita played a goalless draw some days back.
Now the two sides will aim to finish on a high after losing their semifinal matches to Mali and Senegal respectively.
The Flying Eagles bowed out on penalties following 1-1 stalemate after extra time against Mali who will take on Senegal in Sunday’s final at the Stade General Seyni Kountche.
Amajita lost to Senegal 1-0 courtesy of Givemore Khupe’s own goal twenty minutes from time securing Les Lionceaux a place in the final against Mali.
Amajita’s coach Thabo Senong is at his third successive Africa U-20 Cup of
Nations tournament.
He failed to go past the group stages in Senegal four years ago then finishing
fourth in the last edition in 2017 in Zambia and qualifying for the World Cup
in South Korea.
Nigeria is the most successful team in the tournaments history with seven
titles but failed to defend the title they won in 2015 in Senegal when they
didn’t qualify for Zambia.
“Playing against Nigeria is another opportunity for us to face opponents of another caliber by putting this on the account of our preparation for the world. We will do our best since we play every game to win.” Senong told journalists.
Nigeria have kept three clean sheets in the tournament whiles South Africa has
two and just two goals in their four matches.
The Flying Eagles failed to score just once in the tournament which was the
goalless draw against the Amajita who have been very organize in defense.
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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