AFCON
Mikel, Drogba, Mane and Hakimi named as star-studded Draw Assistants for the AFCON 2023
A heavyweight quartet of Africa’s biggest current and former football superstars, Didier Drogba, Mikel Obi, Sadio Mane and Achraf Hakimi, will support the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as Draw Assistants for the Final Draw of the Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023.
The Final Draw will take place at the breathtaking, brand-new Parc des Expositions venue in Abidjan this evening, as the build-up to the 34th edition of the biggest event on African soil reaches fever pitch.
The draw will start at 7pm local time/GMT 6pm in Nigeria (21h00 CAT, 22h00 Cairo) and will be live on CAF TV (YouTube).
The Final Draw will be beamed in over 50 countries, with millions of viewers expected to tune in to the event on CAF’s Official YouTube channel, as well as across CAF’s Global TV partners.
Ivorian icon Drogba, Cote d’Ivoire’s all-time top goal scorer with 65 goals in 105 internationals – including the country’s first-ever goal in the FIFA World Cup in 2006 – is the popular hometown hero amongst the stellar Draw Assistants. Drogba scored 11 goals in 24 AFCON games for the Elephants and helped Cote d’Ivoire to two AFCON cup finals in 2006 and 2012.
His former Chelsea teammate Mikel, a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner with Nigeria and also a three-time AFCON bronze medallist with the Super Eagles, is another big name who will grace the occasion.
The irrepressible Sadio Mane, who scored the winning penalty as Senegal won their first Africa Cup of Nations title in Cameroon in 2021, is a revered two-time CAF African Player of the Year who will grace the Final Draw stage in Abidjan. Mane is Senegal’s all-time leading scorer with 38 international goals and has scored eight goals in 18 AFCON games for the Teranga Lions.
Paris Saint Germain right back Hakimi, who was part of the Morocco team that made a historic run to the 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-final, adds North African star quality to the list of Draw Assistants.
Delegations and the coaches from each of the 24 participating nations, CAF legends, international media, CAF commercial partners, showbiz celebrities and African leaders will be in attendance for the much-anticipated Final Draw, which will well and truly kick-start the final stretch to what is shaping up to the best AFCON ever.
The Qualified Nations for the Final Draw:
Cote d’Ivoire (hosts), Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Congo DR, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia and Zambia
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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