AFCON
WILLIAM TROOST-EKONG TELLS EGYPT’S AHRAM HIS PREFERENCE FOR NIGERIA OVER THE NETHERLANDS
Towering defender William Troost-Ekong turned out to be a hero
for Nigeria at the ongoing African Cup of Nations after scoring the winning
goal in Wednesday’s 2-1 win against South Africa in the quarter final, securing
a spot for his team amongst the best four teams of the tournament.
He was the third African player to commit one per cent of his salary to charity
as part of Juan Mata’s Common Goal project.
Born to a Nigerian father and Dutch mother, he grew up near
Amsterdam but speaks, as a result of his schooling, with a discernible north
London twang.
The Udinese player opens up for Ahram Online ahead of Nigeria’s AFCON semi final match against Algeria on Sunday.
Firstly, what is your impression about the AFCON organization and the atmosphere in Egypt?
It’s been very pleasant for us here in Egypt and we are enjoying being here a lot. It’s difficult to compare between this AFCON and others cause this is my first ever African tournament.
I think we’ve been lucky to have the pre-tournament training
camp at Ismailia and then our group stage games at Alexandria. Now we are in
Cairo, so I think all the places we have been to where very good and
comfortable. The pitches have been good, it’s only the hot weather which have
been difficult for us but we play at night so it’s been good.
And what is your opinion about the AFCON’s new summer timing?
I like that the AFCON is being played in the summer cause I don’t want to miss
too many games with my club.
My club won’t be happy to leave them during the season for the AFCON, so I guess it’s easier like that. I don’t need to get into any trouble to play with the National team.
How do you assess your experience with the National team?
I had different experiences with the National team, I was at the World Cup Russia 2018 and I think there are a lot of different things between both competitions.
In the AFCON we have less international fans and its difficult for fans from West Africa to come and support us here. In the African football it’s more direct games. In the World Cup it’s faster and we have to adapt on the style of play.
You played for Holland at junior levels, but you made your debut for the Nigerian senior team in 2015 after an impressive season on loan at Dutch side FC Dordrecht. Why did you prefer Nigeria over Holland?
My choice to play for Nigeria’s first national team wasn’t a hard one cause at that time I didn’t have the chance to play for the Dutch national team.
I know I won’t make any
of my family proud playing for Netherlands, so I chose to be a part of the
Nigerian National team. Now I think I made the right decision cause I played
the Olympic games, the World Cup, and the AFCON and I had some great moments
playing for Nigeria.
What is the role of Nigeria’s captains and how do they motivate
the young players during the AFCON?
We have experienced players like John Obi Mikel and Ahmed Musa. I think for the next generation I’ll hopefully have the same impact on the less experienced players.
Now I’m so happy to be a part of the team, especially in my position as centre back. I try to talk a lot and motivate my teammates as much as I can.
We have some meetings with the team captains and I think Ahmed Musa said something great when he told us “If you win the AFCON, it can change your lives and it’ll open all the doors for you like what happened to us in 2013 when we won it.
Winning the AFCON is something you’ll tell your kids and grandkids about.”, this is the most motivation we’ve had.
What is your impression about the winning goal against South Africa?
Although it was the urgliest goal I’ve scored, scoring that goal
against Bafana Bafana was one of the highlights of my career. The importance of
the goal made it definitely the best goal I’ve scored in my career. I hope we
can do more in the semi final and final. It’s nice to score for a defender but
it’s not everything for me.
Nigeria wasn’t one of the favorites for winning the competition,
however they reached the semi final, how you do you assess the team’s progress?
Egypt were a clear favorite before the tournament, also Senegal is a fantastic team. Nobody had any expectations for Nigeria nor were we favorites, but we had the feeling that we wanted to come here and fight for the competition.
We weren’t thinking about playing the semi finals or final. We were focusing one game at a time and we slowly grew up in the tournament. I hope we pick up our good form in the right time.
How do you see the semi final match against Algeria?
So far, Algeria have been the best team in the AFCON, but they
think they are playing for 120 minutes against Cote D’Ivoire could affect them
in the next game as they have to travel from Suez to Cairo and they will only
train once before the semi final match.
So far, Algeria have been the best team in the AFCON, but their 120 minutes against Cote d’Ivoire right before travelling to their next game could be a problem for them.
They have to travel from Suez to Cairo, and then train once they arrive for the semi final match. They are in a good place mentally because they qualified for the semi final, but if the game goes to extra time we’ll have the advantage physically.
Algeria scored ten goals in the AFCON so far. What is Algeria’s main threat?
It’s difficult to choose only one threat from the Algerian team. I think they have world class players in all attacking positions. They also have players on the bench who can make differences.
I think it’ll be a difficult game and we need everyone to be in
their best shape on Sunday. We have to play compact and be collective, I think
when we are organized in the defense it’s quite difficult to get through.
It’s been reported that there will be more than 5,000 Algerian
fans at Cairo Stadium to support Algeria in their semi final clash against
Nigeria, what is your opinion?
I think it will be more pressure on Algeria, but I think that
we’ll also have supporters because last match the Egyptian fans cheered for us.
On the pitch we try to concentrate and zone everything out so to give our best.
Finally, What is your impression about your club-career at
Udinese in the Serie A?
I think it’s the best league I’ve played in my career. As a central defender I am learning a lot there. I’ve improved a lot since last season and I almost played every game. I am really happy at Udinese.
I am not in a rush to go anywhere since I’ve had a contract with Udinese for three years, but maybe after the AFCON if I receive a good opportunity to step up I’ll think about it.
By Kunle Solaja.
Nigeria’s senior national team, the Super Eagles, will discover their route to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations when the Confederation of African Football (Confederation of African Football) conducts the qualifying draw on May 19, 2026.
This is an exercise that will define the country’s pathway to the historic PAMOJA 2027 tournament.
The draw, coming after the conclusion of the preliminary round, will feature 48 teams, including co-hosts Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. They will be pooled into 12 groups of four teams each. Only the top two teams from each group will progress to the final tournament, setting up what promises to be a fiercely competitive qualification series.
For Nigeria, a three-time African champion and podium finisher in three of the last four editions, the qualification format is familiar, but the stakes are evolving. They will need a good head start to avert the type of tragedy that defined their World Cup 2026 qualification campaign.
The Super Eagles have maintained a strong record in AFCON qualifying campaigns in recent years, yet inconsistency at the tournament proper has raised expectations for not just qualification, but a deeper continental impact.
The six-match qualification series will be spread across three FIFA international windows:
- * September–October 2026 (Matchdays 1 & 2)
- * November 2026 (Matchdays 3 & 4)
- * March 2027 (Matchdays 5 & 6)
This staggered schedule will test squad depth, technical stability, and administrative efficiency, which are areas that have historically influenced Nigeria’s performance as much as on-field quality.
East Africa Return and Logistical Implications
The 2027 tournament will mark AFCON’s return to the East African region for the first time since the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations.
For Nigeria, this introduces a different competitive environment—altitude variations, travel logistics across three host nations, and potentially unfamiliar playing conditions.
The tri-nation hosting model also means that teams must prepare for a geographically dispersed tournament, requiring early planning in scouting, acclimatisation, and logistics—areas where Nigeria has previously faced challenges in major competitions.
CAF is banking on the momentum generated by recent tournaments such as the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, both of which recorded significant commercial growth, increased sponsorship value, and expanded global broadcast audiences.
For Nigeria, one of Africa’s most marketable football brands, this growth presents both opportunity and pressure. Strong performances by the Super Eagles not only boost national pride but also reinforce Nigeria’s commercial relevance in African football’s evolving ecosystem.
While the May 19 draw will simply allocate opponents on paper, its implications run deeper. A favourable group could ease Nigeria’s passage, but recent AFCON qualifiers have shown that traditional hierarchies are narrowing, with emerging teams increasingly competitive.
For the Super Eagles, the road to PAMOJA 2027 is not just about qualification—it is about reasserting continental dominance in an era where African football is becoming more competitive, more commercial, and more globally visible.
The journey begins with the draw, but for Nigeria, expectations will stretch far beyond simply making the trip to East Africa.
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By Kunle Solaja.
The Confederation of African Football (Confederation of African Football) has formally unveiled the competition window for the landmark Africa Cup of Nations, tagged PAMOJA 2027, setting the stage for what is shaping up to be one of the most politically and structurally significant tournaments in the competition’s history.
Scheduled to kick off on Saturday, 19 June 2027, with the final fixed for Saturday, 17 July 2027, the tournament marks only the second time the AFCON will be staged in the June–July window. The first was the expanded 24-team edition in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, a shift originally designed to align African football with the European off-season calendar and improve player availability.
A Return to June–July: Progress or Persistent Constraint?
While the timing suggests continuity with the 2019 precedent, it also underscores a deeper tension within African football governance. CAF’s confirmation that the dates required approval from the FIFA Council, following a meeting in Vancouver, raises renewed questions about the confederation’s operational autonomy.
Historically, AFCON scheduling has been vulnerable to external pressures, particularly from European clubs and leagues reluctant to release African players mid-season. The June–July calendar was initially seen as a strategic compromise. However, the necessity of FIFA ratification in 2027 signals that CAF’s flagship tournament still operates within a framework heavily influenced by global football politics.
This development may reignite debate about whether CAF is charting an independent course or increasingly aligning its decisions with FIFA’s broader international calendar priorities.
Beyond scheduling, AFCON 2027 represents a structural leap. For the first time, three nations—Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda—will jointly host the tournament.
This tri-nation model, branded “PAMOJA” (Swahili for togetherness), is more than symbolic. It reflects CAF’s attempt to decentralise hosting rights, reduce infrastructural pressure on single nations, and expand the tournament’s commercial and cultural footprint.
With a projected reach of over 400 million people across East Africa, the tournament offers significant opportunities:
- Market expansion: Opening new commercial corridors in a region historically underrepresented in hosting major football events.
- Infrastructure development: Accelerated investment in stadiums, transport, and tourism across three countries.
- Regional integration: Football as a tool for political and economic cooperation within East Africa.
Yet, the model is not without risks. Multi-country hosting introduces logistical complexities—border coordination, security harmonisation, and infrastructure parity—that CAF has not previously managed at this scale.
Waiting for Key Decisions
CAF has deferred the announcement of which cities or countries will host the opening match and final, decisions that will carry both symbolic and economic weight. These choices could influence regional balance and perceptions of equity among the co-hosts.
AFCON 2027 sits at the intersection of ambition and dependency. On one hand, it embodies innovation—a new hosting model and a reaffirmed global calendar alignment. On the other, it highlights lingering structural challenges, particularly CAF’s reliance on FIFA’s approval mechanisms.
As preparations unfold, the success of PAMOJA 2027 will likely be judged not just by the quality of football on display, but by how effectively CAF navigates these competing forces—continental aspiration versus global integration.
In many ways, AFCON 2027 will be a test of whether African football can expand its horizons without compromising its independence.
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By Kunle Solaja.
Defending champions Morocco will take the first formal step in their title defence when the Confederation of African Football (CAF) conducts the draw for the AFCON PAMOJA 2027 qualifiers on May 19, 2026, two days before the 122nd anniversary of the founding of FIFA.
Fresh from their triumph at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, the Atlas Lions now face the challenge of sustaining continental dominance as they begin the journey toward the historic East African finals, to be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
As reigning champions, Morocco enter the qualifiers with a target on their back. Their recent rise, bolstered by strong World Cup performances and a deep pool of Europe-based talents, has elevated expectations both at home and across the continent.
But history suggests that defending an AFCON title is rarely straightforward. The qualifying format, which includes 48 teams drawn into 12 groups of four, leaves little margin for complacency. Only the top two teams in each group will progress, meaning even established powers must navigate a potentially tricky six-match campaign.
The qualifiers will unfold across three FIFA international windows:
- * September–October 2026 (Matchdays 1 & 2)
- * November 2026 (Matchdays 3 & 4)
- * March 2027 (Matchdays 5 & 6)
For Morocco, maintaining squad cohesion across these windows will be crucial. With players spread across Europe’s top leagues, managing fatigue, travel, and club-country balance will test the technical crew’s planning and depth.
AFCON 2027 will mark the tournament’s return to East Africa for the first time since the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations. The unique three-country hosting model introduces new logistical variables—ranging from climate and altitude differences to travel across multiple venues.
For Morocco, whose recent success has been built on tactical discipline and structured preparation, early adaptation to these conditions could prove decisive in their title defence.
CAF’s recent tournaments—including the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and Morocco 2025—have recorded unprecedented commercial success, expanding the global reach of African football.
As defending champions, Morocco stand at the centre of this growth. Their performances will not only shape the competitive narrative of AFCON 2027 but also influence the tournament’s commercial appeal and global visibility.
While the May 19 draw will determine Morocco’s immediate opponents, the broader mission is clear: retain continental supremacy in an increasingly competitive African football landscape.
For the Atlas Lions, the road to PAMOJA 2027 is not merely about securing qualification—it is about proving that their recent triumph was not a peak, but the beginning of sustained dominance.
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