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
Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe has praised Morocco’s King Mohammed VI for what he described as a powerful gesture of unity and reconciliation following the royal pardon granted to Senegalese supporters convicted over offences linked to the final match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
In a statement released on Saturday, Motsepe expressed deep appreciation on behalf of CAF’s 54 member associations, hailing the Moroccan monarch’s decision as a demonstration of football’s ability to foster peace and solidarity across the continent.
“I would like to express our deep gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, for granting His Royal Pardon to the Senegalese supporters convicted of offences relating to the final match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025,” Motsepe stated.
The CAF president said the pardon reflected Morocco’s enduring commitment to African unity and highlighted football’s growing role as a bridge between nations and cultures.
“CAF has consistently emphasised its commitment to utilise football to contribute to uniting our people from different racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds,” he said.
“The pardon by His Majesty King Mohammed VI is an uplifting and motivating illustration of the power of football to unite and bring our people together in Africa and worldwide.”
Motsepe also revealed that during recent visits to both Morocco and Senegal, he had been struck by the deep historical and cultural bonds shared by the two countries.
“I was amazed and impressed when I was briefed about the historic and extensive ties between the people of Senegal and Morocco,” he added.
The statement further reinforced Morocco’s rising influence within African football, especially after successfully hosting the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and positioning itself as one of Africa’s leading football destinations ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which it will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
Motsepe also extended CAF’s best wishes to Africa’s representatives at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, expressing confidence that the continent’s teams would perform strongly on the global stage.
Among the African nations mentioned were Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Ghana, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Verde and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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By Kunle Solaja.
Former African champions Algeria and Zambia are set for an early showdown after the release of the Group I fixtures for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Algeria host Zambia on Matchday One on September 21, 2026, in what is expected to be one of the headline fixtures of the qualifying campaign, while Togo entertain Burundi in the group’s other opening tie.
The Desert Foxes are favourites to qualify, but Zambia’s growing consistency and Togo’s unpredictability could make the race highly competitive.
Algeria travel to Burundi on Matchday Two before facing Togo in back-to-back encounters across Matchdays Three and Four. Zambia also meet Burundi home and away during the same period.
The potentially decisive fixture comes on March 22, 2027, when Zambia host Algeria in a clash that could determine the final standings.
Group I Fixtures
Matchday 1 — September 21, 2026
- Algeria vs Zambia
- Togo vs Burundi
Matchday 2 — October 6, 2026
- Zambia vs Togo
- Burundi vs Algeria
Matchday 3 — October 2026
- Algeria vs Togo
- Zambia vs Burundi
Matchday 4 — November 17, 2026
- Togo vs Algeria
- Burundi vs Zambia
Matchday 5 — March 22, 2027
- Zambia vs Algeria
- Burundi vs Togo
Matchday 6 — March 30, 2027
- Togo vs Zambia
- Algeria vs Burundi
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By Kunle Solaja.
African heavyweights Senegal will launch their quest for another Africa Cup of Nations appearance with a home clash against Mozambique in Group J of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
The Lions of Teranga, among the continent’s strongest teams in recent years, headline a group that also includes Sudan and Ethiopia.
Senegal host Mozambique on Matchday One on September 21, 2026, while Sudan tackle Ethiopia in the other opening encounter.
Senegal are strong favourites to dominate the group, but Sudan and Mozambique are expected to battle fiercely for qualification points.
The key fixtures may emerge in the double-header between Senegal and Sudan across Matchdays Three and Four, while Mozambique and Ethiopia also face each other home and away.
Senegal travel to Mozambique on Matchday Five before ending their campaign at home against Ethiopia on March 30, 2027.
Group J Fixtures
Matchday 1 — September 21, 2026
- Senegal vs Mozambique
- Sudan vs Ethiopia
Matchday 2 — October 6, 2026
- Mozambique vs Sudan
- Ethiopia vs Senegal
Matchday 3 — October 2026
- Senegal vs Sudan
- Mozambique vs Ethiopia
Matchday 4 — November 17, 2026
- Sudan vs Senegal
- Ethiopia vs Mozambique
Matchday 5 — March 22, 2027
- Mozambique vs Senegal
- Ethiopia vs Sudan
Matchday 6 — March 30, 2027
- Sudan vs Mozambique
- Senegal vs Ethiopia
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