AFCON
FLASHBACK: TUNISIA TRIGGERS NIGERIA’S 1ST EXPULSION AND DISQUALIFICATION
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
It is another match day today for Tunisia and Nigeria as they meet in their second ever friendly match in Austria. Some of the 16 previous encounters gathered themes for eternal storage.
Of particular note is that a Nigerian player was first expelled in an international duel when Nigeria played Tunisia. Sports Village Square also recalls that the first disqualification of Nigeria in a competition was occasioned in Tunisia.
That was in their early encounters when the fixtures pitched them together for 1962 Africa Cup of Nations – Nigeria’s first entry.
After Nigeria’s elimination of Ghana, the then Green Eagles moved to the second round and had to play Tunisia to get to the finals.
Nigeria won the first leg match, 2-1 in Lagos. In the return leg in Tunis on 10 December1961, Nigeria’s Green Eagles were already 2-1 up, after goals from Chukwumah Egwuonu and Patrick Noquapor.
The team then staged a walkout in the 65th minute following a controversial goal by Tunisia.
The Nigerian team and officials then protested an alleged bad officiating by Egyptian referee, Mohammed Hassan Helim, who before halftime, had sent out full back, Alfred Achebe.
Thus, Sports Village Square can point out that Alfred Achebe enters the record books as the first Nigerian player to be expelled in an international match.
A little after the hour, the Nigerian defence alleged that Ridha Roubi handled the ball in Nigeria’s penalty box. But the referee ruled a drop ball that was scored by Chetali for Tunisia bringing score-line to 2-2, but an aggregate 4-3 in Nigeria’s favour.
At the prompting of Nigerian officials, the players staged a walkout, even though the Hungarian coach of the team, George Varda disagreed. As a result of the walkout, the match was awarded 2-0 to Tunisia.
The NFA naively sent a protest letter to the Confederation of African Football hoping to be awarded the match.
When the Nigerian protest came up for hearing as item number seven at the CAF executive meeting in Ethiopia on 13 January1962, the general secretary announced that in view of the importance of the subject, it was referred to the extraordinary general assembly that was held three days later.
CAF in particular took note of the tone of the Nigerian protest, which contained “some terms which hurt the African confederation”.
Such terms included words like segregation, which CAF noted, that international football federation did not allow.
“It is unfair that the protest contains such terms as ‘the tournament included Arabs and others, or East Africa and West Africa’ as this is against the general interest and the African Confederation”.
When the issue was finally discussed, the Nigerian protest was torn into shreds.
According to the minutes of the meeting obtained by Sports Village Square from FIFA sources, the delegate from Ethiopia remarked that it was strictly not allowed for Nigeria to make remarks that bordered on segregation “because we all joined in friendship and fraternity and such words (used by Nigeria) is an admission of segregation…
“On the match itself, the Tunisians claimed that when the first leg won 2-1 by Nigeria was played, the NFA made use of two Nigerian linesmen (assistant referees) for the encounter.
“We acted similarly, designating two Tunisians as linesmen in the second game, they (Nigerians) protested”.
But the Ghanaian delegate came to Nigeria’s defence, saying that when an error was committed once, as in the Lagos match, “it does not mean, for reason of similarity, that it should be committed once again.
“A neutral referee, i.e. who does not belong to a country participating in the tournament should have been elected for the second match”.
Dr. Chedly Zouitan, a Tunisian member of CAF executive committee who died the following year aged 62, pointed out that the walk out by the Nigerian team was due to an administrative action and “never during my 45 years experience have I seen the head of a mission enter the playground and order the players to quit.
“It is also unfortunate that nobody of the mission, whether players or administrative, (sic) objected to this procedure with the exception of the Hungarian trainer but nobody listened to him.
“They have always objected to the decisions of the referee of any nationality, whether in the first or the second game.” The General Assembly decided the issue against Nigeria and ruled that the walkout was against the game’s rules.
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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