AFCON
Afcon 2022: Super Eagles will be at home in Garoua, says Cameroonian journalist
BY KUNLE SOLAJA, who was in Douala
It is 89 days to the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon. Nigeria’s Super Eagles in their 2-0 win over Central African Republic on Sunday had a feel of the Japoma Stadium, one of the designated six arenas for the delayed tournament.
The victory seems an harbinger to what they should expect when they begin the hunt for their fourth title at the Stade Roumdé Adjia in Garoua.
The venue is the furthermost stadium to the major theatre of activities in Douala, Yaounde, Bafoussam and Limbe. Owing to the distance and the weather condition, Garoua, the home town of former CAF President, Issa Hayatou, is considered unfavourable for the Super Eagles.
But a Cameroonian journalist, Lialian Neg is disabusing the minds of Nigerians. She was one of the Camerounian journalists locked out, along with those from Nigeria, from the proceedings of the Central African Republic – Nigeria World Cup qualifying match last Sunday.
Neg, like most Cameroonians, is looking forward to a Cameroon versus Nigeria final match as it had happened in 1984, 1988 and 2000. “Of course, I will wish Cameroon to win”, remarked Lillian Neg.
She said that ordinarily, there is a huge population of Nigerians in Camerooun, although largely in Yaounde and Douala, the proximity of Garoua to the Nigerian northern boarder is a ‘huge advantage’, said the journalist who is the Public Relations Officer of the Cameroonian Footballers’ National Union.
A Master Degree in International Law, she also worked at Le Démocrate newspaper as chief desk editor in charge of the English version specialized in national and international politics. Eight years of experience in this domain permitted her to write and publish a book in 2014 about the Iraqi war.
She has since the publication, she has been more active within football management and communication and writes for the Swedish independent on-line magazine, NewsVoice.se.
According to her, the Super Eagles are at great advantage in Garoua as against Egypt, Sudan and Guinea Bissau whose territories are further and most likely not going to have enough supporters.
According to her, Garoua, located on the bank of River Benue, has proximity to many Nigerian towns such as Yola, Jimeta, Mubi, Numan and Biu.
The only disadvantage could be the hot weather which most Europe-based Nigerian players may have challenges in adapting to.
When asked to comment on what appeared to be epileptic form of the Super Eagles which saw them losing at home to Central African Republic in Lagos, Lilian Neg remarked that it was sometimes difficult for a star-studded side to overcome a team without stars as the match will often be devoid of patterns.
“That am sure was what happened to your Super Eagles in Lagos”, Neg explained.
In exactly 12 months from today, Africa’s biggest event: the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations will kick-off in Morocco.
Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 is expected to break all records set by the previous edition in Côte d’Ivoire.
The AFCON is now the single biggest event on African soil attracting a television audience of over 1.5 billion and more than 2.4 billion digital streams.
Morocco will play host to the continental finals for the first time since 1988, and much work has already been done in preparing for the 24-team tournament that will run from 21 December, 2025 to 18 January, 2026.
The countdown has begun, with the draw for the group stages at the finals set for 27 January, 2025 in Rabat, Morocco, after which teams will learn their fate and their path to the trophy.
The tournament will be the 35th staging of Africa’s greatest sporting show and another chapter in the rich history of a competition first played in 1957.
Morocco boasts world-class facilities, including the iconic Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca, which hosted the 1988 AFCON final where Cameroon edged Nigeria 1-0.
The venue, and several others, will be filled with passionate fans, many of who will hope to see Morocco lift the continental crown for the first time since 1976.
Before the Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco will host the CAF Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations (30 March-19 April, 2025) and the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (5-26 July, 2025).
Morocco was also this month confirmed as co-host of the 2030 FIFA World Cup along with Spain and Portugal.
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Super Eagles and the other 23 finalist teams of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 will get to know the route they have to navigate to the final match of the competition.
This is one of the key points of the executive committee meeting of CAF held in Marrakech, Morocco ahead of the CAF Awards on Monday.
CAF President, Dr Motsepe announced that the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Final Draw will be held in Rabat, Morocco, on 27 January 2025.
The calendar for the year was also streamlined as the key dates were announced.
Key dates:
- CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025: Opening Match will be played Sunday, 30 March 2025; Final Match will be played Saturday, 19 April 2025
- CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2025:
Opening Match will be played Saturday, 26 April 2025; Final Match will be played Sunday, 18 May 2025
- CAF Confederation Cup 2024-25:
Final, First Leg will be played Saturday, 17 May 2025; Final, Second Leg will be played Sunday, 25 May 2025
- CAF Champions League 2024-25:
Final, First Leg will be played Saturday, 24 May 2025; Final, Second Leg will be played Sunday, 1 June 2025
- CAF Women’s Champions League 2025:
Opening Match will be played Saturday, 8 November 2025; Final Match will be played Sunday, 23 November 2025
- CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025:
Opening match will be played Sunday, 21 December 2025; Final Match will be played Sunday, 18 January 2026.
Democratic Republic of Congo and Congo Brazzaville may put up joint candidacy for the host of the 2029 Africa Cup of Nations.
If that happens, it would be the first collaboration between the two neighbouring countries for a sporting event.
No official announcement has yet been made, but speculations in the media have it that the Minister of Sports of DR Congo, Didier Budimbu, confirmed this ambition in a statement relayed by local media: “With my counterpart from Congo-Brazzaville, we are determined to organize the CAN 2029 together. “
Morocco will be hosting the 2025 edition while the trio of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania already have that of 2027.
At the 46th General Assembly of CAF in Addis Ababa in October,
Ethiopia’s president, Taye Astike Selassie, requested that CAF endorse the East African nation’s bid to host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2029.
Ethiopia last hosted the Africa Cup of Nations in 1976. None of the two Congo republics has ever hosted.
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