AFCON
Road to Cote d’Ivoire 2023 charted for 18 other aspiring teams
The race towards the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire is shaping up nicely as six teams have so far confirmed their places in the flagship tournament following the recent round of qualifiers over the past seven days.
Holders Senegal, Tunisia, South Africa, Morocco and Burkina Faso have joined hosts The Elephants in the line up for the tournament which has now been confirmed to start in January 2024.
Here is a round-up of matches played in Matchday Three and Four of the qualifiers for the competition to be held in Cote d’Ivoire.
Group A
A three-way battle remains for the two qualification slots heading into the last two rounds of matches. Leaders Nigeria (nine points) beat Guinea Bissau 1-0 in the reverse fixture to remain on the apex, with the latter in second spot (seven points).
Sierra Leone are third (five points) after beating Sao Tome and Principe 2-0 and remain in contention for a place in the final tournament. Sao Tome have been eliminated as they are bottom with a point.
Group B
Burkina Faso have already sealed their place in the tournament as they needed just a point in their last match against Togo. They drew 1-1 to move to 10 points and attain an unassailable lead from third place.
The Togolese are bottom with two points but still with a mathematical chance as they are five points behind second placed Cape Verde who drew with Lesotho who are third. The three teams are all in contention for a place.
Group C
Namibia produced the biggest result from this group with a shock 2-1 win over giants Cameroon and are now only a point away from qualification. They lead the group with five points, one ahead of second placed Cameroon.
Burundi are third in the group with a point. They face both Cameroon and Namibia in June and wins in the two games will qualify them to the tournament.
The group has three teams after the exclusion of Kenya.
Group D
Heading into the June matches, the group remains open. Egypt and Guinea won both their matches in this last round of matches to lead the group with nine points and the two will qualify if they draw when they meet in June.
Malawi (third) and Ethiopia (fourth) are both on three points after back to back losses and fate is out of their hands.
Group E
Ghana, Central Africa Republic and Angola remain in the race for the two qualification slots. Leaders Ghana are on eight points on top of the group, one ahead of CAR after picking four out of a possible six from the last round of qualifiers.
CAR won back to back matches against Madagascar, who remain bottom with one point and have their hopes almost sewn off.
Group F
After their fourth straight win, Algeria’s Les fennecs are through to the tournament with an unassailable 12 points. They beat Niger home and away and are also assured of top spot with second placed Tanzania eight points behind.
The Taifa Stars were beaten 1-0 by Uganda in Tuesday’s return fixture, with the Cranes getting themselves back into contention. Bottom side Niger on two points are also in contention.
Group G
This group also remains open heading into the final round of matches. Mali’s 1-0 loss at the hands of Gambia away from home meant they will wait for qualification, but still remain top of the group with nine points.
Congo Brazzaville avenged for their shock defeat against South Sudan to beat them in their home fixture in Dar es Salaam, moving to second with six points, same as Gambia but with a better goal difference.
South Sudan are bottom with three points and are still mathematically in contention.
Group H
Hosts Ivory Coast are already through, but they remained unbeaten in this group after edging out Comoros 2-0 to move to 10 points. The battle for the single slot to the tournament is now between Zambia (9) and Comoros (3) with winless Lesotho out.
Zambia who beat the latter home and away need just a point in June to confirm their place in the tournament.
Group I
All teams are still in the race to qualify. Gabon lead the group with seven points, one ahead of Sudan who revived their hopes by beating the former 1-0 in Omdurman.
Mauritania are third with five points following their home draw against DR Congo. The latter are on four points which they picked from the past match window from the win and draw against the Mauritanians.
Group J
Tunisia beat Libya home and away to move to 10 points and claim their ticket to Ivory Coast. They are on 10 points, one ahead of Equatorial Guinea who completed a home and away sweep of Botswana and eliminated them from contention.
They need just a point in their next two matches to qualify. Libya who are on three points have a mathematical chance but fate is not in their hands.
Group K
The group is already sewn with Morocco and South Africa confirming their tickets. Morocco had already qualified even before this qualification window as they were on six points.
South Africa booked their spot with a nervy 2-1 win over Liberia in Monrovia, making amends after dropping a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 in the first leg. The group has three teams after the exclusion of Zimbabwe.
Group L
Defending champions Senegal swept Mozambique home and away to move to 12 points and confirm their qualification. The battle for the single remaining slot is now left to Mozambique (4), Rwanda (3) and Benin (2).
Rwanda and Benin played to back to back 1-1 draws.
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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AFCON
Morocco Takes Delivery of 723 Chinese Buses Ahead of AFCON

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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