AFCON
Faé who piloted Cote d’Ivoire to beat Super Eagles at 2023 Afcon final is set to decide Nigeria’s path in 2025 qualifiers
Emerse Faé again! He was part of the French team that beat Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets at the 2001 U-17 World Cup final match. He master-minded the Super Eagles defeat at the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 final match.
He is set to hunt the Super Eagles again. He has been handed the role of Draw Assistant in Thursday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations’ qualifying competition draw. Figuratively, the Super Eagles’ fate is in his hands.
He is expected to arrive in South Africa on Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s Draw for the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Qualifiers Draw.
He will be one of the Draw Assistants for the draw. Nigeria Super Eagles go into the draw pots without any coach, or even one in view.
The Qualifiers Draw will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa on Thursday 4 July 2024 at 14h30 local time and 1.30 pm in Nigeria)
Faé etched his name in the history books of Ivorian football in February, when he guided the Elephants to continental glory after an initial set back, which saw him take over the reins in an interim position from the knockout stages to the final.
The 40-year-old masterminded one of football’s most dramatic turnaround stories, guiding Cote d’Ivoire to their third African title through series of nail-biting encounters, which culminated in the final against Nigeria, which they won.
He was subsequently named substantive coach, allowing him to chart a new path in a career that barely took off months ago.
Faé is living the dream he’s always wanted. As a professional player, his career was cut short by injuries. He played at French club Nantes, where he spent the majority of his career between 2003 and 2007.
From 2007 to 2009, he played for Reading FC before finishing his career at OGC Nice, where he stayed between 2009 and 2012. He retired on February 1, 2012, at just 28 years old.
Faé’s coaching career started with the U19 team at French club Nice in 2012, where he learnt the ropes until 2021 before taking charge of the reserve team at Clermont Foot 63.
In 2022, he became Jean-Louis Gasset’s assistant for the Elephants, only to replace him after the latter was given the sack in the middle of a tumultuous AFCON start.
The Qualifiers draw will herald what promises to be another exciting start to a successful AFCON after the historic one in Cote d’Ivoire, which got the world talking.
The Qualified Nations for the Qualifiers Draw:
Morocco (hosts), Cote d’Ivoire, Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, DR Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
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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