AFCON
Nigeria’s group opponents, Egypt hoping to avoid COVID-19 scare in Nations Cup
BY HATEM MAHER, AHRAM
For many teams, including Egypt, it might be a matter of how far they can survive the COVID-19 scare and safely get over the line as a youthful-looking Pharaohs side comprising more than a dozen debutants seek to end a 12-year African Cup of Nations drought.
Twelve years is a lengthy barren spell by the standards of the record seven-time winners.
Egypt came close to adding an eighth crown in 2017, only to surrender their lead and lose 2-1 to Cameroon in the final. Two years later, they put on an embarrassing show on home soil to bow out at the last 16 at the hands of South Africa.
Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah will be looking to help Egypt deliver the trophy on his own third attempt as hopes are largely pinned on him to restore the team’s glory days.
Salah has recently come in for rare criticism, with some accusing him of failing to replicate his club form on the international level.
But given the little assistance he receives from his Egypt teammates, and given the fact that he is currently the team’s second all-time top scorer with 45 goals, such criticism seem somewhat harsh.
Salah will spearhead an attack that looks very unfamiliar as Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz moulds a young and promising team that he hopes will fire on all cylinders at the Cameroon finals.
Two of the players who will accompany Salah in the final third were not there when Egypt hosted the 2019 Nations Cup — Galatsaray striker Mostafa Mohamed and Stuttgart’s on-loan winger Omar Marmoush.
More than a dozen other players will also make their Nations Cup debut, with Queiroz retaining less than 10 men from the side that played the previous Nations Cup edition.
It’s a gamble that he hopes will pay off as he enlarged the scope of his selections, picking many players from unfancied Egyptian Premier League sides.
Queiroz has also recently altered Egypt’s formation from a traditional 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3 scheme, which he tried at the FIFA Arab Cup in Qatar, where Egypt finished fourth last month.
Egypt are expected to seal smooth progress to the last 16 from a group that includes Nigeria, their main challengers, as well as Sudan and Guinea-Bissau.
They open their campaign against Nigeria on Tuesday at the Roumde Adjia Stadium in Cameroon’s Garoua.
COVID-19 worries
But any talks of Egypt’s Nations Cup prospects are contingent on the team avoiding any COVID-19 outbreaks, with a wave of infections hitting several teams at the tournament including Senegal, Burkina Faso and Gabon.
Egypt were not spared as understudy goalkeeper Mohamed Abou-Gabal and goalkeeping coach Essam El-Hadary were kept at home after contracting the highly-contagious virus. Officials said they can fly to Cameroon later when they turn a negative result.
“Unprecedented times. The more the situation becomes difficult, the more we stay together & strong,” Queiroz said on Twitter.
“Dear Friends & Team Mates, we all pray for your health, wishing fast recovery and return to our Team.”
Egypt meet Guinea-Bissau on their next Group D match on 15 January before concluding their group-stage campaign against Sudan four days later.
-Ahram
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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