AFCON
ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST RENAMING OF ONIKAN STADIUM; WHICH STRONG TEAM WILL NIGERIA DRAW AT AFCON 2019 POT 2?
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
It is 67 years this Friday when the premier football ground in Nigeria, the Onikan Stadium, Lagos was first renamed from its original name, The Association Ground.
On this day in 1952, the arena, which was the first home ground of the Nigerian national football team was renamed as King George V (KGV) to mark the coronation of the England monarch.
It is therefore a coincidence that the Nigerian team will draw its Africa Cup of Nations’ opponents on this occasion in Egypt.
Technically, the strongest of the three opponents of the Super Eagles is expected to come from Pot 2. The second level ranked pot hasDR Congo, Ghana, Mali, Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea and Algeria.
One of these six teams will belong to the same group with the Super Eagles. The draw at the famous Pyramids of Egypt will determine which team.
But significantly, none of the six is strange to the Nigerian side across all competitions, especially the Africa Cup of Nations.
Only Guinea has never fallen in the same group with Nigeria even though both met at the second round of the 1976 edition in Ethiopia. The encounter ended 1-1, no thanks to the last minute equalizer by Papa Camara after Muda Lawal’s early second half goal.
Nigeria and DR Congo (then Zaire) met at Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, in the opening Group B encounter in 1976. Nigeria, then the underdogs, shocked the defending champions with a 4-2 defeat.
Both met again at the Senegal ’92 quarter finals and that of Tunisia ’94. Nigeria triumphed at both matches. Thus, DR Congo has never beaten Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Ghana, another team in Pot 2, is Nigeria’s eternal football rival. Both were in the same Group A at Ghana ’78 and Group B at Cote d’Ivoire 1984.
The first match ended 1-1 in Accra while Nigeria under Chief Adegboye Onigbinde shocked Ghana, 2-1 as defending champions in 1984. The two teams met again in the semi-finals of Senegal ’92 when Ghana avenged the 1984 defeat.
They were at it again at Ghana 2008 second round encounter in which Ghana again triumphed. But before then, Nigeria eliminated Ghana at the quarterfinals of Mali 2002. Both teams clashed again at Angola 2010 semi-finals and Ghana won 1-0.
Mali was in the same Group A at Mali 2002 ending the tie goalless. When they met again at the third place match, Nigeria won 1-0. Nigeria won again 2-1 at the losers’ final match of Tunisia 2004 before a goalless outing at the group stage of Ghana 2008.
The Super Eagles had a massive 4-1 win when both met again at the semi finals of South Africa 2013. So, Mali has never beaten Nigeria in Africa Cup finals’ history!
Cote d’Ivoire was the only team that Nigeria did not beat on the way to winning the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations. Both team played goalless. But when met 10 years later in the same Group A of the continental premier competition, Nigeria won 1-0.
In the march to success at the Tunisia ’94 Africa Cup of Nations, Cote d’Ivoire was the Super Eagles’ last stepping stone to the final, winning 4-2 on penalties after 2-2 score lines at regulation and extra time.
But in 2006 competition in Egypt, Cote d’Ivoire had a revenge of 1-0 in the semi finals and repeated the same at the group stage of 2008 in Sekondi, Ghana. When both met at the quarterfinals of South Africa 2013, Nigeria had a soul-lifting 2-1 win, which sustained the Stephen Keshi-coached side to the ultimate victory in the final. From Pot 2, which team is preferred to be in Nigeria’s group. You can drop your comment ahead of the draw.
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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