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.
The Confederation of African Football has announced a major overhaul of its flagship competition, with the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) set to expand from 24 to 28 teams.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe disclosed the decision on Sunday following an executive committee meeting, describing it as part of the body’s commitment to elevating African football to global standards.
Motsepe said the expansion would create more opportunities for countries across the continent while ensuring that top African players worldwide return home to compete at the highest level.
“This is about our commitment to world-class football, bringing together the best African players from across the globe to compete on the continent,” he stated.
However, the CAF boss did not provide details on how the new 28-team format would be structured or when the expansion would take effect, leaving questions over qualification pathways and tournament scheduling.
Continuity for 2027, New Cycle from 2028
Motsepe confirmed that the 2027 AFCON will proceed as planned with co-hosts Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, maintaining the current 24-team format for that edition.
In a significant shift, CAF also announced that another AFCON tournament will be staged in 2028, after which the competition will move to a four-year cycle—aligning more closely with other major international tournaments.
CAF Nations League Introduced
In addition to AFCON reforms, CAF revealed plans to introduce an African Nations League starting from 2029. The new competition will be held annually, with a 16-team final tournament staged every two years.
The initiative is aimed at improving the competitiveness, structure and commercial value of the African national team football.
“We have to stop this situation where African fixtures are not predictable, consistent and reliable,” Motsepe said. “We must also focus on developing football in regions like East Africa, which has enormous potential.”
A New Era for African Football
The proposed changes mark one of the most ambitious restructurings of African football competitions in recent years, with CAF seeking to expand participation, enhance organisation and create a more predictable football calendar.
While details are still emerging, the decisions are expected to have far-reaching implications for national teams, qualification formats and the overall growth of the game across the continent.
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The Confederation of African Football said it would implement changes and improvements to its statutes and regulations that would ensure that the farcical scenes at January’s Africa Cup of Nations final do not happen again.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe said the changes would strengthen trust and confidence in its referees, VAR operators and judicial bodies, but did not give concrete details.
The announcement followed a meeting of CAF’s executive committee in Cairo on Sunday and came on a tumultuous day for the organisation as its general secretary resigned.
African football’s governing body has been battling a crisis of confidence after its Appeal Board stripped Senegal of the Cup of Nations title in a decision that has been met with widespread derision.
Senegal were ruled to have forfeited the final in Rabat on January 18 after walking off the pitch in protest at a potentially decisive penalty awarded to Morocco. They returned and scored a goal in extra time to win the game 1-0.
The decision is being challenged at the Court of Arbitration for Sport and if Senegal win back their title it will be a further blow to CAF’s credibility.
“CAF has taken extensive legal advice from top African and international football lawyers and experts, to ensure that the CAF statutes and regulations adhere to and implement global football best practices, on and off the field,” Motsepe said in a statement on Sunday.
“This is important for the respect, integrity and credibility of African referees, VAR operators and the CAF Disciplinary Board and Appeal Board.
“CAF is working with FIFA for the ongoing training of African referees, VAR operators and match commissioners so that they are as good as the best in the world… CAF has made significant progress over the past five years in implementing governance, ethics, transparency and managerial best practices,” the CAF president added.
More precise details on the changes and how they would avoid a repeat of the Cup of Nations final controversy were not given by Motsepe, who earlier this month admitted his organisation was struggling with perceptions about its integrity.
-Reuters
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By Kunle Solaja
The Confederation of African Football may be considering possible disciplinary measures against Senegal following reports that the country’s national team has continued to parade the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy despite being stripped of the title.
The development has triggered fresh debate within African football circles, with CAF understood to be treating the matter as a potential breach of its statutes and disciplinary code.
Sources close to the continental body indicate that Senegal’s actions could be interpreted as defiance of an official ruling, raising concerns about respect for regulatory authority and the precedent such conduct may set for other member associations.
CAF is believed to be weighing a range of sanctions, which could include financial penalties, formal reprimands, or restrictions on the country’s participation in certain CAF programmes and competitions.
While no final decision has been announced, insiders suggest that the governing body is keen to send a strong message on compliance and institutional discipline.
There are also indications that CAF’s disciplinary committee may be tasked with reviewing the circumstances surrounding the continued public display of the trophy, including whether the act constitutes misconduct under its regulations.
The issue is seen as more than a symbolic dispute over silverware. Analysts argue that how CAF handles the situation will reflect its ability to enforce decisions and maintain order among its 54 member associations.
“CAF cannot afford to appear weak on matters of discipline,” a source familiar with the situation said. “If a federation openly disregards a ruling, it undermines the entire governance structure.”
CAF is expected to provide clarity on the issue during an upcoming press engagement, where its president may outline the organisation’s position and any disciplinary steps to be taken.
For Senegal, the situation presents a delicate balancing act between national pride and compliance with continental football authority. For CAF, it represents a critical test of leadership and regulatory enforcement at a time when the credibility of African football governance remains under close watch.
The coming days are likely to determine whether the matter escalates into a full disciplinary case or is resolved through diplomatic engagement behind the scenes.
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