AFCON
Exclusive: It’s Senegal’s season of harvest of dollars
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
If there is any football federation in Africa whose national team is swimming in ocean of dollars, it is the Senegal Football Federation.
Over the last five years, Senegal national team has raked $30m (Ncc) as prize money from their qualification to two editions of the World Cup and participation in three editions of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Not only has the national team consistently been rated as number one in Africa in over four years, it has been the one with the biggest harvest of money from successes on the field.
Since it has also depended on its citizen as the head coach, it also means the Senegal Teranga Lions do not suffer from capital flight as their coach, Aliou Cissé will be paid in domestic currency.
In the past five years, Senegal has been experiencing financial increase from prize monies. As quarter-finalists at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, Senegal earned $800,000 (N332.6m) after they agonisingly crashed out against Cameroon in an encounter decided by penalty shoot-out.
Like Nigeria and the other three African teams that scaled through but crashed out at Russia 2018 World Cup, Senegal earned $1.5million (N623.6m) as qualification fee and another $8m (N3.3b) in the group stage taking their gross earning over the period of 2017/2018 to $10.3m (N4.28b).
As runners-up at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, Senegal’s prize money was $2.5m (N1b) bringing the gross since 2017 to $12.8m. At the time, Nigeria’s prize money as third-placed team was $2m (N831m) Super Eagles earned $9.5m (N 3.9b) from the Russia 2018 participation.
As winners of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations played in 2022, Senegal earned $5m (N2b) thus taking their earning from 2017 to February 2022 to $17.8m (N7.4b).
Being knocked out before the quarter-finals, Nigeria had no income from the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. Missing out at Qatar 2022 means a loss of $12.5m (N5.1b).
For Senegal, it is a net-breaking, boat-sinking catch as they will get $2.5m (N1b) World Cup qualification fee, with a projected additional $10m (N4.1b) if they don’t move beyond the group stage.
Their earnings increase as they progress in the competition. They are the African team with the best ratio of wins at the World Cup and had been only African team to advance to the quarter finals at their World Cup debut.
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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