AFCON
WHICH 10 TEAMS GET THE REMAINING AFCON 2019 SLOTS?
BY APESIN ADEMOLA
Nigeria’s Super Eagles are among 14 teams whose matches will count for nothing – except classification and boosting their rankings – as the two-year-long qualification for this year’s Africa Cup of Nations is concluded this weekend.
Three-time champions Nigeria, record winners and hosts Egypt, and Africa’s current No 1 by ranking Senegal are among the nations whose flags will fly across five Egyptian cities and six stadia as the continental tournament assumes a 24-nation format for the first time since its inception 62 years ago.
Egypt 2019 will run from June 21 to July 19, making it the first time Africa will host its most glamorous football competition in the summer.
Significantly, Madagascar, the home nation of CAF President Ahmad who will be making their debut in Egypt, are so far the only team to have started from the preliminary qualification phase and travelled all the way to land in the finals.
Comoros Islands are however on the verge of repeating the feat of Madagascar, their neighbouring country. Les Coelacantes will have to move the mountain by beating reigning champions Cameroon in Yaounde on Saturday with any margin to join Morocco as the qualifiers from Group B. In that match, the Indomitable Lions, five-time winners, require one single point to qualify. Apart from Egypt with seven titles, Cameroon are the next most successful nation in the competition.
The other former champions who have started making travel arrangements for Egypt 2019 include Ghana, once a powerhouse of African football with four titles under their belt, Côte d’Ivoire (winners in 1992 and 2015), Tunisia (2004), Algeria (1990) and Morocco (1976).
Apart from Senegal, who will be making their 15th appearance in the finals but have never lifted the trophy, the teams will be chasing their first title in Egypt include Guinea (12 appearances, inclduing Egypt 2019), Mali (11), Uganda (7) and (Kenya (6), while Mauritania are in the same class with Madagascar – first-timers.
Between Friday and Sunday, focus will be on 13 centres with deciding fixtures in eight groups.
Nigeria’s other interest will be in Group L where ex-international Emmanuel Amunike will attempt to qualify Tanzania for their first appearance in the competition since Nigeria hosted it in 1980. In Dar-esSalam, the Taifa Stars, presently third on the log, will seek to beat group winners Uganda and expect Cape Verde Islands to avoid defeat to Lesotho in Praia, the Cape Verdean capital.
Going into the last fixtures of the qualifiers, it’s still any team’s game in Group G, which parade Zimbabwe, Liberia, DR Congo and Congo Republic, all separated by three points. Ahead of them all, the Warriors of Zimbabwe have the added advantage of playing at home against bottom-placed Congo Republic, while second placed Liberia are away in DR Congo, who are only one point behind.
CAF had refused to honour Liberia’s request to have their match shifted from Kinshasa on the claim that the host country faces fresh Ebola outbreak. The football authority ruled that the epidemic is far away from the Congolese capital city.
Group K is also tight. Only 2012 champions Zambia are out already, but their match at home against Namibia will be significant in deciding the two qualifiers from the group. Namibia’s Brave Warriors are tied on points with leaders Guinea-Bissau, who however have head-to-head edge. Guinea-Bissau will be home to Mozambique, who themselves fall short of the top two by one point.
Nigeria’s result in Asaba will be of significance to South Africa only in deciding the winners of Group E. Should Bafana Bafana share points with Libya in Sfax, Tunisia on Sunday, and Seychelles perform the most unlikely by beating the Super Eagles in Asaba, it will be South Africa that will top Group E on head-to-head rule. Libya’s victory will not only see them through by eliminating South Africa, it will also earn Nigeria group leadership irrespective of the outcome in Asaba.
In Group I, two sides remain in contention with Botswana already out and Mauritania through to the finals. Angola, in second place, will play Botswana on Friday at the same time Burkina Faso will be hosting Mauritania.in Ouagadougou. The Burkinabe are two points behind Angola’s Palancas Negras.
Algeria are through in Group D, but will have a hand in deciding which of Benin Republic, Togo or Gambia qualify along with them for Egypt 2019.
The Desert Warriors host Gambia on Friday, while Benin Republic engage Togo in Cotonou on Sunday. Benin Republic’s Squirrels have a two-point advantage over both Togo and Gambia. Strangely, CAF fixed both matches for different days when the result of one can affect the standings in the group.
Group C has already produced Mali as finalists, while the only match that matters here is Burundi versus Gabon on Saturday. The host nation will start the crucial match with a two-point cushion over their guests. The first leg ended 1-1.
Matchday 6 fixtures (all time West Africa’s)
Friday
Group E: Nigeria v Seychelles (first leg Nigeria 3-0) (4pm)
Group B: Malawi v Morocco (first leg Morocco 3-0) (2pm)
Group A: Sudan v Equatorial Guinea (first leg Equatorial Guinea 1-0) (3pm)
Group I: Botswana v Angola (first leg Angola 1-0), Burkina Faso v Mauritania (first leg Mauritania 2-0) (both 6pm)
Group J: Tunisia v Eswatini (first leg Tunisia 2-0) (7:15pm)
Group D: Algeria v Gambia (first leg 1-1) (8:45pm)
Saturday
Group C: Burundi v Gabon (first leg 1-1) (2pm), Mali v South Sudan (first leg Mali 3-0) (8pm)
Group B: Cameroon v Comoros Islands (first leg 1-1) (4pm)
Group J: Niger Republic v Egypt (first leg Egypt 6-0) (4:30pm)
Group K: Zambia v Namibia (first leg 1-1), Guinea-Bissau v Mozambique (first leg 2-2) (both 5:30pm)
Group H: Côte d’Ivoire v Rwanda (first leg Côte d’Ivoire 2-1) (6pm)
Group F: Ghana v Kenya (first leg Kenya 1-0) (7pm)
Group A: Senegal v Madagascar (first leg 2-2) (8pm)
Sunday
Group E: Libya v South Africa (first leg 0-0) (6pm)
Group G: Zimbabwe v Congo Republic (first leg 1-1), DR Congo v Liberia (first leg 1-1) (both 2pm)
Group H: Central Africa Republic v Guinea (first leg Guinea 1-0) (3pm)
Group D: Benin Republic v Togo (first leg 0-0) (4pm)
Group L: Tanzania v Uganda (first leg 0-0), Cape Verde Islands v Lesotho (first leg 1-1) (both 4pm)
The Moroccan National Tourism Office (ONMT) has kicked off a European promotional tour themed “Morocco, Land of Football” to boost the country’s visibility ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The roadshow, which began on June 16 and runs through June 23, is making stops in five key European cities: Madrid, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, and Milan.
According to a press release, the initiative is designed to enhance Morocco’s international profile through a blend of sports and cultural promotion, as the kingdom prepares to host the continent’s premier football tournament.
“Morocco is preparing to welcome Africa. Through this roadshow, we aim to tell a collective story of a country oriented towards the future, proud of its roots, and passionate about football,” said Achraf Fayda, Director General of ONMT.
The roadshow stems from a strategic partnership signed in April between the ONMT and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), with the shared goal of positioning Morocco as a leading global destination for both football and tourism by 2030.
At each stop, the tour is expected to engage over 100 travel agents, tour operators, media professionals, and African tourism experts. Participants are treated to immersive, multisensory experiences that highlight Morocco’s tourism offerings, while also facilitating networking with sports personalities.
The campaign targets travel professionals, sports industry stakeholders, and digital content creators as part of ONMT’s broader strategy to leverage AFCON 2025 for tourism development and international branding.
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The African Football Confederation (CAF) and Royal Air Maroc (RAM) have sealed a historic strategic partnership that grants Morocco’s national airline the status of “Official Global Partner” for upcoming major African football competitions.
The agreement was signed Saturday morning in Casablanca, in the presence of Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) President Fouzi Lekjaâ.
This partnership encompasses several prestigious tournaments, including the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco (AFCON) 2025 (December 21, 2025 – January 18, 2026) and CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco (WAFCON) 2024 (July 5-26, 2025).
The agreement also covers CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations 2025, CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations 2025, CAF Champions League 2024/2025 Finals, CAF Confederation Cup 2024/2025 Finals, and the CAF Women’s Champions League 2025.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe voiced enthusiasm about the collaboration.
“We are excited about the partnership between CAF and Royal Air Maroc, a world-class airline that will provide comfort and fly NationalTeams participating in the CAF competitions,” he said.
“We are confident that the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 will be the most successful AFCON in the history of this competition.”
The agreement strengthens RAM’s footprint across Africa and globally, solidifying its role as a strategic gateway between Africa and the rest of the world. It also aligns with Morocco’s emergence as an international sports hub, with the country preparing to host AFCON 2025 and co-host the FIFA World Cup 2030.
RAM’s Chairman and CEO Hamid Addou stated: “This historic partnership with CAF aligns fully with our strategic vision as an airline deeply rooted in Africa and committed to its development.”
“Royal Air Maroc doesn’t just connect destinations; it builds bridges between cultures and passions. By supporting the continent’s biggest football competitions, we reaffirm our role as a facilitator of human and sporting exchanges,” he continued.
500,000 supporters expected
Beyond its partnership role, RAM will implement an exceptional operational system to meet increased demand during CAF competitions. The airline plans to welcome over 500,000 supporters for AFCON 2025.
“We believe we will surpass this figure by far,” revealed Addou. “We will be ready to accommodate these supporters across Royal Air Maroc’s entire network.”
The airline intends to double seat capacity from qualified countries already served by RAM, such as Dakar, Abidjan, Cairo, Tunis, Bamako, Lagos, and Douala.
RAM will also intensify flight frequencies from European cities with large African communities, including Paris, Brussels, Milan, London, Marseille, Lyon, Madrid, and Barcelona.
Additionally, the airline will establish a dedicated program for domestic air transport of national teams, shuttling them between their base camps and host cities.
This positioning establishes RAM as the primary connector between Africa and Europe through its Casablanca hub. FRMF President Fouzi Lekjaâ noted that the contract “reinforces Royal Air Maroc’s first-rate leadership role in Africa.”
“Royal Air Maroc is no stranger to football,” Lekjaâ added. “It has always supported generations of our athletes and footballers here in Morocco.”
“With this expertise and experience, they will contribute significantly to making AFCON 2025 Morocco exceptional, a historic turning point in African football, cultural coexistence and African cultural exchange,” he concluded.
Addou stressed RAM’s commitment to African unity: “We are all extremely proud to be African, and in every corner of this vast and magnificent continent, we share the same ambition—to actively contribute to Africa’s development and influence.”
The RAM CEO concluded by inviting everyone to upcoming CAF calendar events: “We’ll see you very soon for the great moments ahead in the CAF calendar, particularly the Women’s AFCON starting in July and, of course, the men’s AFCON, which kicks off on December 25.”
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The presidents of the regional councils concerned by the hosting of the matches of the Africa Cup of Nations (Morocco-2025) unanimously affirmed that the implementation of infrastructure projects in anticipation of this continental event “is progressing at a sustained pace”, declaring themselves “fully mobilized” to crown with success the major sporting events scheduled in the Kingdom.
They specified, in statements to the press in Rabat following a meeting at the headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior devoted to the assessment of the progress of the construction and rehabilitation works of the stadiums, that major sports infrastructure projects are underway in the six host cities: Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Fez, Marrakech and Agadir.
The President of the Casablanca-Settat Regional Council, Abdellatif Maâzouz, announced that the projects planned for upcoming international sporting events, in particular the 2025 African Cup of Nations and the 2030 World Cup, “are proceeding under good conditions.”
The projects related to the organisation of the AFCON will be ready by next July at the latest, he assured, specifying that there is a clear vision regarding the preparations underway for the AFCON and the 2030 World Cup, both in terms of equipment and organisational arrangements related to human resources and animation.
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