AFCON
AFCON: LAST 5 AFCON 2019 QUALIFIERS EMERGE TODAY
BY APESIN ADEMOLA.
On the last Matchday 6 encounters, five more slots are up for grabs and the class of Egypt 2019 Africa Cup of Nations will be completed. Nineteen finalists are already known, while matches in six centres on Sunday will determine the remaining qualifiers.
The Group E, which Nigeria won on Friday, will produce one of the
remaining five finalists. South Africa have a huge task in Sfax, Tunisia
against Libya’s Mediterranean Knights, who require maximum points to make it to
the tournament in Egypt. The Bafana Bafana, who are looking for at least a
point this time, could not break Libya’s defence in the first leg, which ended
with a barren score line.
Since their last head-to-head clash in Johannesburg last September 8, Libya
have lost back-to-back to Nigeria in Uyo and in Sfax, but walloped Seychelles
8-1 away, while South Africa forced Nigeria to 1-1 draw in Johannesburg and had
the same result in a friendly with Paraguay last November in Durban.
Group L offers tantalising fixtures on this last day of the qualifying series
with Emmanuel Amuneke believing in his squad to deliver Tanzania’s first
qualification for the tournament in 39 years. The ex-Nigerian international has
improved the quality and belief of the team since his appointment as Tanzania’s
national head coach last August 6, but his efforts will remain just that if the
Taifa Stars don’t get to participate in Egypt 2019.
Uganda have already won the group, while the battle for runners-up is a
three-horse race. Lesotho, in No 2, have same five points as Tanzania but a
better head-to-head record, while Cape Verde are a point behind both teams.
Tanzania will have to beat Uganda in Dar-es-Salam and hope that Lesotho don’t
equal the result to go through, while Cape Verde must have a better outcome
than Tanzania to make it.
Group G is even tighter as all four teams have their Egypt 2019 dream very much
intact. Zimbabwe have the easiest task as they need just one point to guarantee
qualification, and feature in the competition for the fourth time after the
2004, 2006 and 2017 editions.
Liberia are second in the group, one point behind Zimbabwe, and will celebrate
if they pick a point and Congo Republic don’t beat Zimbabwe, while DR
Congo have to win to qualify.
In Group D, the Squirrels of Benin Republic need just a point at home against Togo, who will qualify if they win.
Teams that have booked their places in Egypt 2019 include Nigeria, hosts Egypt, defending champions Cameroon, Ghana, Tunisia and Morocco. Also in the party will be Algeria, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, Angola and Uganda. Madagascar, Burundi and Mauritania will be the debutante at the tournament which kicks off on June 21 at Cairo International Stadium and concludes on July 19.
It will be the 32nd edition of the competition featuring 24 teams for the first time in its 62-year history.
Sunday’s fixtures…
- 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 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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