AFCON
IS NIGERIA’S OLIVE GREEN SHIRT JINXED?
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Whenever there is a recurrence of unpleasant incidents in Nigerian football, especially if it is a defeat, fans are always quick at terming such as jinx.
So was an argument when the Super Eagles agonisingly went down 2-1 in a nail-biting semi-final match with Algeria in Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations’ contest.
With both Nigeria and Algeria having almost similar light coloured home strips, Nigeria was obliged to go for the away strip which is olive green – a departure from the regular all-white away strip used before last year March.
A high-profile Nigerian football official had earlier explained to www.sportsvillagesquare.com that Nigeria jettisoned the all-white away strip on the belief that the national teams were often jinxed when compelled to wear it in crucial matches.
A case in point was the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations finals co-hosted by Ghana and Nigeria. At the final match, the team from the groups in Ghana was the home side, even though the match was in Lagos, with Nigeria technically the away team and thus had to change from its primary strip since the home strip of Cameroon is also green.
Nigeria lost the match in the ensuing penalty shootout. They recalled that Nigeria also wore the all-white attire when the team controversially lost 1-0 to Cameroon in the 1988 cup final.
But those against the white jersey easily forgot that Nigeria wore green when the team lost 3-1 to Cameroon in the 1984 final match and that it was in white attire that the team beat Cameroon in a 1990 World Cup qualifying match in Ibadan and in the quarterfinals of 2004 Africa Cup of Nations.
Such belief caused the shift to a darker shade of green as away strip. So when Nigeria lost to Algeria on Sunday, the counting began on occasions that the Super Eagles lost in the olive green attire.
It was just the second time in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations that the jersey was worn. Both incidentally ended in defeats to Madagascar and Algeria.
It was also on instances of wearing the dark shade shirts that Nigeria lost to Croatia and Argentina at the Russia 2018 World Cup.
Sports Village Square however recalls that Nigeria first wore the dark coloured strip unveiled by Nike on March 23, 2018 friendly match with Poland.
Nigeria won 1-0. It was in the same strip that the Super Eagles beat Libya 3-2 last year in the away qualifying match.
Even in a friendly match played earlier this year in Asaba, Nigeria wore the olive green shirt to beat Egypt 1-0 – a pointer to the fact that no colour is jinxed in football.
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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