AFCON
FRENCH LEAGUE SUPPLIES BULK OF AFCON 2019 PLAYERS
The French influence in African football appears overwhelming. A breakdown of the 552 players registered by 24 teams for the Africa Cup of Nations kicking off in Egypt on Friday shows that most of the players are based in France.
Sports Village Square’s check reveals that of the 552 players, 95 are playing in the French Ligue 1 and other lower divisions.
Next to France in the number of players supplied is South Africa, which has 45 players. Some of the players are registered by other countries, including Nigeria, which has South Africa-based Daniel Akpeyi.
England ranks next with 43 players from the premiership, the
Championship and the lower leagues.
Continentally, the bulk of the players are from Europe, which accounts for 315
players among the total of 552.
It was largely for that reason the CAF opted to alter the Africa Cup of Nations calendar to fall within the break period of the European leagues in order to ensure the Europe-based players attend the competition with relative ease.
There are 201players from leagues in Africa while 32 are from Asia and just four from North America.
Paradoxically, Zambia, which did not qualify, is supplying as many as 10 players from its league to the competition.
Foreign Legion
Senegal and Cameroon are the only teams whose entire squads comprise overseas players.
While Senegal coach Aliou Cisse only opted for European-based
players, Cameroon’s Clarence Seedorf picked Christian Bassogog, best young
player in the 2017 Nations Cup who plays for Henan Jianye in China.
Algeria, Ghana and Morocco also heavily rely on foreign-based players as they
each only have one player in their domestic competitions.
Teams with most domestic players
With 17 players playing in their domestic league, South Africa
are showing great confidence in their local competitions and their top clubs,
especially 2016 African champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
Tanzania and Angola come next with 14 and 13 domestic-based players
respectively.
Most prestigious arrivals
African players have enjoyed most successes this season in the
Premier League. Liverpool trio Mohamed Salah of Egypt, Sadio Mane of Senegal
and Naby Keita of Guinea have claimed the UEFA Champions League trophy for the
first time.
Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez has won the Premier League title, playing a key role
with Manchester City in their title defence.
Mahrez has now two Premier League titles under his belt after winning the
competition in 2016 with the unfancied Leicester City, before being named
Africa’s best player for the same year.
AFCON 2019 squads breakdown
Europe: 315
France: 95
England: 43
Turkey: 29
Portugal: 25
Spain: 20
Belgium: 18
Germany: 15
Italy: 14
Greece: 10
Netherlands: 8
Scotland: 5
Sweden: 6
Switzerland: 4
Romania: 4
Bulgaria: 3
Austria: 2
Czech Rep: 2
Denmark: 2
Israel: 2
Croatia: 1
Cyprus: 1
Lichtenstein: 1
Lithuania: 1
Luxemburg: 1
Serbia: 1
Slovakia: 1
Ukraine: 1
Africa: 201
South Africa: 45
Egypt: 24
Angola: 14
Tunisia: 14
Kenya: 12
Tanzania: 19
Namibia: 10
Zambia: 10
DR Congo: 8
Mauritania: 6
Uganda: 6
Algeria: 5
Ethiopia: 4
Morocco: 4
Benin: 2
Cote d’Ivoire: 2
Guinea Bissau 2
Madagascar: 2
Mali: 2
Nigeria: 2
Rwanda: 2
Botswana: 1
Ghana: 1
Libya: 1
Reunion: 1
Sudan: 1
Uganda: 1
Asia: 32
Saudi Arabia: 18
China: 5
Qatar: 3
Australia: 1
Oman: 1
Japan: 1
India: 1
Kazakhstan: 1
Thailand: 1
America: 4
USA: 4
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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