AFCON
THE BIGGEST AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS IN HISTORY: LET THE GAMES BEGIN!
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
When the referee blasts his whistle at 9 pm (GMT, also Nigerian time) to signal the beginning of the biggest Africa Cup of Nations in history at the Cairo International Stadium, Egypt will want to avoid their national team in 1986 when they surprisingly lost 0-1 to unheralded Senegal.
This time, Egypt will be facing Zimbabwe in the opening match.
In the previous 31 editions, the hosts have often won the opening games. There are 19 of such instances while nine were drawn and five lost, including the 1986 edition by Egypt.
No home nation has lost in the 13 previous curtain raisers involving the home side. The last home side to lose an opening game was Tunisia, losing 0-2 to Mali. One of the memorable defeats of a home side in an opening match was inflicted on Senegal by Nigeria at the 1992 edition.
The Super Eagles took the lead in the first half through Samson Siasia before Senegal leveled up through a defensive error.
Stephen Keshi made amends on the dot of the clock when he fired home the winner for Nigeria.
The opening match is just one of the projected 52 matches as the competition has expanded to 24 teams instead of the 16 that characterized the preceding 12 editions in which 16 teams featured since 1996 – even though Nigeria boycotted the initial 16-format edition.
The number of participating teams has been fluctuating. At it beginning in 1957, there were three teams, all by invitation following the disqualification of the fourth team, South Africa, owing to the prevailing apartheid policy.
Qualifying series began for the 1962 edition following entries by nine countries, including Nigeria. Ethiopia and Egypt both automatically qualified as the host country and titleholders respectively. Morocco would withdraw before play began, thus leaving only six teams vying for the remaining two spots in the finals.
Tunisia eliminated Nigeria after an ill-advised walkout in the return leg in Tunis in which advantage was still in Nigeria’s favour.
Teams in the finals increased to six at the 1963 edition in Ghana.
Nigeria qualified by default after CAF disqualified the initially qualified Guinea on technical ground. Guinean referees officiated the return leg in Conakry in which the host team won 1-0 after a 2-2 draw in Lagos.
The 1968 tournament, the sixth edition heralded the standardization of format. Eight teams featured in the finals and a two-year interval in the even-numbered year was adopted which ran till that of 2012.
The eight-team format was changed to 12 at the Senegal 2012 edition. The 12 teams were divided into four groups of three. For the first time, quarterfinals were introduced as two top teams advanced.
The format changed to 16 teams at South Africa 1996. This year’s edition is the first to involve 24 teams.
They are split into six groups of four teams at the draw conducted in April. Thus, another phase, Round of 16 is introduced. Two teams from each group will advance into the Round of 16.
Four others among the best third-placed teams from the six groups will join the 12 that emerged first and second from each group.
The Round of 16 is a direct knock out stage.
OPENING MATCHES OF PREVIOUS 31 EDITIONS
1957 – Sudan 1-2 Egypt
1959 – Egypt 4 – 0 Ethiopia
1962 – Ethiopia 4 – 2 Tunisia
1963 – Ghana 1 – 1 Tunisia
1965 – Tunisia 4 -0 Ethiopia
1968 – Ethiopia 2 -1 Uganda
1970 – Sudan 3 – 0 Ethiopia
1972 – Cameroon 2 -1 Kenya
1974 – Egypt 2 -1 Uganda 1
1976 – Ethiopia 2 – 0 Uganda
1978 – Ghana 2 – 1 Zambia
1980 – Nigeria 3-1 Tanzania
1982 – Libya 2 -2 Ghana
1984- Cote d’Ivoire 3 – 0 Togo
1986 –Egypt 0 -1 Senegal
1988 –Morocco 1 – 0 DR Congo
1990 – Algeria 5 -1 Nigeria
1992 – Senegal 1-2 Nigeria
1994 – Tunisia 0 – 2 Mali
1996 – South Africa 3-0 Cameroon
1998 – Burkina Faso 0-1 Cameroon
2000 – Ghana 1 – 1 Cameroon
2000 – Nigeria 4 – 2 Tunisia
2002 – Mali 1 – 1 Liberia
2004 – Tunisia 2 – 1 Rwanda
2006 – Egypt 3 – 0 Libya
2008 – Ghana 2 – 1 Guinea
2010 – Angola 4 – 4 Mali 4
2012 – Equatorial Guinea 1-0 Libya
2012 – Gabon 2 – 0 Niger
2013 – South Africa 0 -0 Cape Verde 0
2015 – Equatorial Guinea 1 -1 Congo
2017 – Gabon 1 -1 Guinea Bissau
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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