By Kunle Solaja.

The success of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) was largely driven by strong collaboration between the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and host nation security authorities, according to CAF’s pioneer Head of Safety and Security, Dr Christian Emeruwa.

Emeruwa, in a LinkedIn post,  said that while robust structures and detailed security plans were important, the defining factor behind the smooth delivery of security at AFCON 2025 was the quality of relationships built between CAF and the host country’s security agencies.

“Beyond structures and plans, what truly made the difference were trust, mutual respect, transparency, frankness and honesty in our daily engagements,” Emeruwa noted, stressing that effective security management at major sporting events goes beyond procedures alone.

He explained that delivering security for continental tournaments such as AFCON requires cultural sensitivity, diplomacy and a clearly shared vision among all stakeholders. According to him, these principles enabled open discussions around challenges, alignment of expectations and the ability for all parties to operate as a single, cohesive team in pursuit of a common goal.

Emeruwa described AFCON 2025 as a clear demonstration that successful event security is built on partnership and shared interest, rather than rigid institutional boundaries.

“When organisers and host authorities act as partners rather than counterparts, coordination is stronger, and outcomes are more sustainable,” he said.

The Nigerian security expert added that the values and practices adopted during AFCON 2025 provide a model that can be replicated across different host nations, helping to deliver safe, secure and world-class sporting events in Africa and beyond.

AFCON 2025 was widely praised for its organisation and safety standards, reinforcing the importance of collaboration between football governing bodies and national authorities in staging major international tournaments.

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Morocco’s football federation (FRMF) announced on Tuesday it would appeal the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) disciplinary rulings over last month’s chaotic Africa Cup of Nations final against Senegal, which the hosts lost 1-0 after extra time.

FRMF criticised the sanctions as disproportionate to the “seriousness and gravity” of the incidents during the 18 January match, which was overshadowed by a 14-minute interruption after Senegalese players staged a walk-off, a pitch invasion by their fans and confrontations involving players and staff.

CAF’s Disciplinary Committee handed Senegal’s coach Pape Thiaw a five-match ban and fined him $100,000 (£82,000) after he instructed his team to leave the pitch following a VAR decision to disallow a goal late in regular time.

Senegal’s football federation was fined $615,000 (£508,000) for the behaviour of their players and supporters, with Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr receiving two-match bans for unsporting actions directed at the referee.

Morocco, whose appeal to have the match result overturned was rejected by CAF, were also hit with sanctions totalling $315,000 (£260,000).

Their penalties relate to what CAF described as misconduct by Moroccan players, staff, and supporters, including the use of laser pointers and improper intervention in the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) area.

Captain Achraf Hakimi was handed a two-match suspension, one of which is suspended for a year, while Ismael Saibari was banned for three games, with both players penalised for attempting to remove Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy’s towel in heavy rain conditions.

“The FRMF will appeal the decisions in order to safeguard all rights guaranteed by law,” said a statement issued by the federation, which specifically cited “the withdrawal of Senegalese players and the conduct of their supporters” during the final as grounds for contesting the rulings.

CAF, however, described the tournament as a success overall, highlighting record revenues despite the controversy surrounding the final.

CAF confirmed the sanctions will apply to its competitions, further souring the conclusion to what Morocco had hoped would be a triumphant campaign on home soil.

-Reuters

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Egypt has formally indicated its intention to host a future edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, with plans to bid for either the 2032 or 2036 tournament.

According to Egyptian publication Ahram, the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) decided during a meeting held on Sunday, where key strategic issues concerning the country’s football development were reviewed.

The meeting covered preparations for the Egyptian national team ahead of this summer’s FIFA World Cup, as well as the EFA’s long-term roadmap extending to 2038. As part of its World Cup build-up, Egypt will play Saudi Arabia in a friendly on March 26, before facing Spain four days later. The Pharaohs are also scheduled to take on Brazil in June, shortly before the World Cup begins.

During the same meeting, the EFA presented Egypt’s intention to bid for the 2032 or 2036 Africa Cup of Nations at the request of the Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Last month, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced that the Africa Cup of Nations would move to a four-year hosting cycle, starting with the 2028 edition, thus opening the door for long-term bidding plans by interested nations.

Egypt is one of Africa’s most experienced AFCON hosts, having staged the tournament five times previously—in 1959, 1974, 1986, 2006 and most recently in 2019. The North African nation is now seeking to add a sixth hosting to its rich continental football history.

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