AFCON
POINTS OF INTEREST AS NIGERIA, SOUTH AFRICA RENEW FOOTBALL RIVALRY
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
From the original 24 teams, the field now narrows to eight as the Africa Cup of Nations hits the quarterfinals stage. All the teams in Group, A that comprises the hosts, Egypt as well as Zimbabwe, DR Congo and Uganda, have since kissed the competition good bye.
Madagascar still remains the mysterious entity in the pack and the sole survivor among the trio of debutants. But the point of interest here now is the Nigeria-South Africa fixture. It is a match of familiar opponents who have even met twice in the qualifying series.
As usual, www.sportsvillagesquare.com takes an insightful look at the match and comes out with the following points of interest.
- Sports Village Square records that this will be Nigeria’s 91st match in Africa Cup of Nations’ history since the 6-3 loss to United Arab Republic, now Egypt on 24 November 1963 in Kumasi, Ghana.
- The encounter marks South Africa’s 43rd match in the Africa Cup of Nations since making debut on home soil in 1996.
- Both Nigeria and South Africa scuttled the reenactment of the 2017, 2008 and 1986 final matches of Egypt versus Cameroon. While Nigeria eliminated Cameroon, South Africa sent out Egypt in the Round of 16.
- Nigeria and South Africa are meeting in the Africa Cup of Nations for the third time. They first met in 2000 in Lagos and later in Monastir, Tunisia. Nigeria won 2-0, 4-0 respectively.
- Nigerian legend, Austin Okocha scored the milestone 1000th goal of the Africa Cup of Nations in the 2004 Nigeria’s encounter with South Africa.
- South Africa progressively declined in performance at the Africa Cup of Nations, winning in 1996, runners-up in 1998, third-place in 2000, quarter finals in 2002, group stage in 2004 where they were ranked 11th among 16 team; and group stage again in 2006, raking 16th among 16 teams.
- Nigeria’s Ayodele Makinwa was a scoring debutant in Nigeria’s 2-1 loss to South Africa at the 2004 Nelson Mandela Challenge match.
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- South Africa’s 2-1 win over Nigeria in 2004 was the country’s first ever. It was followed up with another 2-0 win in Uyo, making South Africa’s current Scot coach, Stuart Baxter, the only one to have led South Africa to beat Nigeria.
- Leon Balogun, if fielded, will be playing against his club teammate at Brighton & Hove Albion, Pacy Tau who is South Africa most accomplished striker.
- This is South Africa’s first quarterfinal match in four of their previous participation in the Africa Cup of Nations.
- South Africa have qualified for the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations only thrice in past – 1996, 1998 and 2000.
- Nigeria have got to semi-final stage or further in 14 of their 17 appearances at the Africa Cup of Nations including 11 of the last 12.
- Wednesday’s match will be the 25th clash of both Nigeria and South Africa. These include their clash in the 2014 Africa Cup of Nations Championship (CHAN). Nigeria won seven times as against two victories by South Africa. The remaining five were drawn.
Nigeria vs. South Africa: Head-to-Head
P W D L F A GD
Nigeria 14 7 5 2 23 9 +14
S/Africa 14 2 5 7 9 23 -14
10 Oct.1992 (WCq) Nigeria 4-0 S/Africa
16 Jan 1993 (WCq) S/Africa 0-0 Nigeria
10 Feb.2000 (AFCON) Nigeria 2-0 S/ Africa
31 Jan.2004 (AFCON) S/ Africa 0-4 Nigeria
17 Nov. 2004 (F) South Africa 2-1 Nigeria
1 Jun 2008 (WCq) Nigeria 2-0 S/Africa
6 Sep 2008 (WCq) S/Africa 0-1 Nigeria
14 Aug 2013 (F) S/Africa 0-2 Nigeria
14 Jan 2014 (CHAN) S/Africa 3-1 Nigeria
10 Sep 2014 (AFCON q) S/Africa 0-0 Nigeria
19 Nov 2014 (AFCON q) Nigeria 2-2 S/Africa
29 Mar 2015 (F) S/Africa 1-1 Nigeria
10 Jun 2017 (AFCON q) Nigeria 0-2 South Africa
17 Nov 2018 (AFCON q) S/Africa 1-1 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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