AFCON
SUPER EAGLES OPEN 2019 AFCON ACCOUNT WITH BURUNDI
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
The Super Eagles will begin their quest for a fourth title in the Africa Cup of Nations with a match with Burundi at the Alexandria Stadium on June 22. It will be the first match of the two sides since the Super Eagles beat Itamba of Burundi 2-0 at the MKO Abiola Stadium on 23 January 1999.
The solitary encounter of both teams was a qualifying duel for the 2000 championship, which Nigeria later co-hosted with Ghana thus nullifying the encounter and making the return leg unnecessary.
The Burundi team is in the competition as debutants. Since Africa Cup of Nations’ matches are played as double headers at the group stage, Guinea will immediately after the Nigeria-Burundi clash, take on Madagascar, the second debutant of the tournament.
NIGERIA-BURUNDI HEAD-TO-HEAD
P W D L GF GA
Nigeria 1 1 0 0 2 0
Burundi 1 0 0 1 0 2
- 23 Jan. 1999 (Afconq) Nigeria 2-0 Burundi
Nigeria’s crunch game will be against Guinea on June 26. Previous clashes of both teams are almost even. Both had met 14 times and each won four and drew six.
This will be the second Africa Cup of Nations’ clash
of the two teams since they met at Ethiopia ’76. The score line then was 1-1
following Muda Lawal’s goal in the 52nd minute and Papa Camara’s
equaliser at the dot of 90 minutes.
Ali Bangoura at the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Both teams have however met on other instances outside the Africa Cup of Nations’ tournaments.
Significantly, it was Guinea that Nigeria eliminated to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 1963. Nigeria forced a 2-2 draw in Lagos in the qualifying match but lost the return leg 1-0.
The match was however awarded to Nigeria on technical ground as Guinean referees officiated the return leg.
It was also Guinea that Nigeria defeated to win first continental honours, the gold medal of the football event of the 2nd All Africa Games in Lagos in 1973.
Both Nigeria and Guinea maintained rivalries in the 1963 with the introduction of the Tafawa Balewa Cup, a trophy donated for bilateral competition by the first Nigerian Prime Minister.
In the first leg of the only edition of the competition, Guinea beat Nigeria 3-0 in Conakry while the return leg ended 1-1 in Lagos.
Both teams had also met in World Cup qualifiers, playing 1-1 in Conakry and Henry Nwosu snatching a 90th minute winner in the return leg in Lagos in 1981.
Nigeria similarly beat Guinea over tow legs in the
quest for France ’98 World Cup. Guinea however denied Nigeria qualification for
the 2012 Africa Cup of Nation after beating Nigeria 1-0 in Conakry and forcing
a 2-2 draw in Abuja.
Significantly, the October 8, 2011 match was Super Eagles’ last match at the Abuja National Stadium.
Nigeria last group match of Afcon 2019 will be against debutants, Madagascar. It is scheduled for June 30 at the Alexandria Stadium at the same time Burundi will be facing Guinea in Cairo.
NIGERIA-GUINEA HEAD-TO-HEAD
P W D L GF GA
Nigeria 14 4 6 4 17 14
Guinea 14 4 6 4 14 17
- 27 Jul. 1963 (Afconq) Nigeria 2-2 Guinea
- 6 Oct. 1963 (Afconq) Guinea 1-0 Nigeria * match awarded to Nigeria on technical ground
- 1 Dec. 1971(Balewa Cup) Guinea 3-0 Nigeria
- 30 Jan. 1972(Balewa Cup) Nigeria 1-1 Guinea
- 18 Jan. 1973 (2AAG) Nigeria 2-0 Guinea
- 9 March 1976 (Afcon) Guinea 1-1 Nigeria
- 12 Apr. 1981 (WCq) Guinea 1-1 Nigeria
- 25 Apr. 1981 (WCq) Nigeria 1-0 Guinea
- 9 Apr. 1989(Afconq) Guinea 1-1 Nigeria
- 22 Apr. 1989 (Afconq) Nigeria 3-0 Guinea
- 5 Apr. 1997 (WCq) Nigeria 2-1 Guinea
- 17 Aug. 1997 (WCq) Guinea 1-0 Nigeria
- 10 Oct. 2010 (Afconq) Guinea 1-0 Nigeria
- 8 Oct. 2011 (Afconq) Nigeria 2-2 Guinea
The game against Madagascar will be Super Eagles’ fifth encounter with the home country of CAF President, Ahmad.
Nigeria won three of the four previous clashes and drew only one. Their first clash was on October 7, 2001 in Antananarivo. The 2002 Afcon qualifier ended goalless.
NIGERIA-MADAGASCAR HEAD-TO-HEAD
P W D L GF GA
Nigeria 4 3 1 0 5 0
Madagascar 4 0 1 3 0 5
- 7 Oct. 2000 (Afconq) Madagascar 0-0 Nigeria
- 2 June 2001 (Afconq) Nigeria 1-0 Madagascar
- 5 Sept. 2010(Afconq) Nigeria 2-0 Madagascar
- 3 Sept. 2011(Afconq) Madagascar 0-2 Nigeria
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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