AFCON
CAF CELEBRATES KESHI AND EL GOHARY
CAF’s online publication on Sunday celebrated Nigeria’s Stephen Keshi and Egypt’s Mahmoud El Gohary, two continental legends who in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations, were the only two men who won the title as player and coach.
Incidentally, both are now deceased. Egyptian Mahmoud El Gohary won the second edition of the tournament in 1959 as a player, and he later guided the Pharaohs to their fourth title in 1998.
While Nigeria’s Stephen Keshi was the Super Eaglescaptain when they won their second title in 1994, before steering them to their third glory as coach in 2013.
El Gohary – Top scorer, winning coach
Mahmoud El Gohary opened the second AFCON edition goals in 1959. At his favourite grounds, Cairo Stadium, the Al Ahly forward scored a hat-trick when Egypt defeated Ethiopia 4-0 in the 1959 opening game, to start their way to a successive, which was secured thanks to a 2-1 win over Sudan.
El Gohary’s three goals were enough to see him finish as the tournament’s top scorer.
Almost four decades later, 39 years to be precise, he guided the Pharaohsto their then fourth AFCON title in Burkina Faso 1998. Under El Gohary, Egypt defeated South Africa 2-0 in the final to lift the trophy with the likes of Hossam Hassan, Ahmed Hassan, Hazem Emam among others.
El Gohary had a brilliant coaching career that saw him winning CAF Champions League titles with Cairo rivals, Al Ahly (1982) and Zamalek (1993). He led Egypt to their second FIFA World Cup appearance in Italy 1990, and had spells with Oman and Jordan national teams, besides clubs in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and UAE. The iconic figure passed away in August 2012, aged 74.
Keshi – Captain fantastic, coach glorious
Keshi captained Nigeria’s golden generation of 1994 that included the likes of Rashidi Yekini, Daniel Amokachi, Samson Siasia, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha and others, as they reached the FIFA World Cup for the first time in their history in USA, and won Africa Cup of Nations title in Tunisia same year.
A defender in the ranks of French based RC Strasbourg then, Keshi featured in Nigeria’s road to the final where they defeated Zambia 2-1 to raise the trophy, despite missing the final through injury.
In 2013 Keshi joined El Gohary, by becoming the second person to win the AFCON title as player and coach, when he led the Super Eaglesto their third trophy in South Africa, beating Burkina Faso 1-0 in the final.
Another highlight of Keshi’s coaching career was guiding Togo successfully in the qualifiers of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, but missed out on the final tournament in Germany after being replaced by German Otto Pfister.
He also guided the Super Eagles to the second round in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He also had a short spell with Mali. Keshi died in June 2016, aged 54.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commended the Super Eagles for their impressive performance in the 4–0 victory over Benin Republic, praising the team for keeping Nigeria’s qualification hopes for the 2026 FIFA World Cup alive.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Adebayo Onanuga, the President lauded the players for their “hunger, passion, and determination” during the crucial qualifier in Uyo, describing their display as one that has “reignited Nigerians’ football pride.”
“While the job is not yet complete, I join millions of Nigerian football fans in wishing our team every success in the playoffs,” Tinubu said. “The mood across the country reflects a shared belief that Nigeria deserves a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which Canada, Mexico, and the United States will host.”
Reaffirming the government’s backing, President Tinubu assured the players and coaching crew of full Federal Government support as they prepare for the decisive play-off stage.
“Nigerians everywhere believe in you, and I do too,” he said. “We look forward to seeing you fly our flag proudly on the world stage.”
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The Organizing Committee of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 has announced a strong start to ticket sales, confirming that 58,000 tickets had been sold as of Tuesday at 5:00 p.m.
According to an official update, the enthusiasm for the continental showpiece has also been reflected on the Yalla App, where 145,731 applications have been received so far. In addition, a total of 121,924 FAN IDs have been issued, including 31,058 belonging to foreign nationals representing 108 countries around the world.
In response to the overwhelming demand, the committee disclosed that technical teams are working round the clock to enhance the ticketing and FAN ID systems to ensure smooth processing for fans.
To assist applicants and ensure better communication, the organizers have provided a dedicated customer service line: +212 5 30 30 20 30. The hotline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in Arabic, English, and French, and is staffed by over 600 agents trained to respond to inquiries and provide user support.
Fans can also reach the support team via email at info@yallamorocco.ma.
The Organizing Committee expressed gratitude to supporters, media representatives, delegations, and partners for their enthusiasm and reaffirmed its commitment to delivering a seamless and memorable experience for all stakeholders during AFCON Morocco 2025.
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Ticket sales for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 will officially open on Monday, 13 October 2025, with an exclusive 48-hour pre-sale window reserved for Visa cardholders, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced.
Fans across Africa and around the world will be able to secure their seats for what promises to be the continent’s biggest football spectacle, which will run from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.
The special Visa pre-sale period will run from Monday, 13 October at 09:00 Moroccan time (08:00 GMT) until Wednesday, 15 October at 08:00 GMT, before general ticket sales open to all fans using other payment methods.
To streamline ticket purchases and enhance security, the Local Organizing Committee has launched the YALLA App, an integrated digital platform for fans to obtain their Fan ID — a mandatory requirement for buying tickets — and apply for E-Visas (AEVM) where necessary.
According to organizers, each registered Fan ID allows supporters to buy only one ticket per match, ensuring wider access and transparency in ticket distribution.
The process for obtaining tickets is straightforward:
- Download the YALLA App, available on Google Play and the App Store.
- Apply for a Fan ID and E-Visa (if required) through the app.
- Once approved, Visa cardholders can visit tickets.cafonline.com starting from Monday, 13 October at 09:00 Moroccan time (08:00 GMT) to purchase their AFCON 2025 tickets.
The 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco is expected to deliver a festival of football and culture, with fans urged to complete their Fan ID registration early to avoid last-minute rushes.
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