AFCON
Senegal, Uganda and DR Congo seal AFCON places, Sudan sink Ghana
DR Congo, Uganda and Senegal secured their spots at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco after important wins in their qualifying matches on Tuesday.
Tanzania 0-2 DR Congo: Meschack Elia brace seals victory
DR Congo continued their perfect run in Group H with a commanding 2-0 win over Tanzania at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium that helped them seal their place at the AFCON in Morocco.
After a goalless first half, Meschack Elia broke the deadlock in the 87th minute with a composed finish following Nathanaël Mbuku’s assist.
Elia doubled the lead in the 93rd minute, securing all three points for the Leopards, who now sit at the top of the group with 12 points, having won all four of their matches.
The victory means the Leopards have secured their place at the tournament in Morocco as they are guaranteed one of the two slots from the group.
Tanzania remains second with four points but faces a tough challenge to qualify with Guinea and Ethiopia trailing closely behind.
Malawi 0-1 Senegal: Mane’s late winner
Senegal left it late to secure a 1-0 victory over Malawi, courtesy of a stoppage-time free-kick from Sadio Mane that helped them to grab a ticket to the tournament to be played in Morocco.
The game looked set to end in a stalemate until Mane’s 96th-minute strike gave the Teranga Lions all three points, moving them level with Burkina Faso at the top of Group L, both on 10 points.
The result of the match means both Senegal and Burkina Faso cannot be overtaken by their group opponents.
Malawi remains winless in the group and sits bottom with no points after four matches.
Sudan 2-0 Ghana: Abdelrahman and Al Tash sink Black Stars
Sudan breathed new life into their AFCON qualification campaign with a 2-0 win over Ghana in Group F.
Ahmed Al Tash put Sudan ahead in the 62nd minute, with Mohamed Abdelrahman doubling the lead in the 65th minute.
The win moves Sudan to second place in the group with 7 points, while Ghana’s qualification hopes are in jeopardy as they sit in third place with 2 points.
South Sudan 1-2 Uganda: Own goal hands Uganda the win
Uganda edged South Sudan 2-1 in Group K, with an own goal from Alfred Leku proving decisive.
Denis Omedi gave the Cranes an early lead in the 15th minute, only for Yohanna Juma to equalize for South Sudan in the 21st minute with a stunning strike.
Uganda capitalized on a defensive mix-up in the 66th minute, with Leku’s own goal giving the Cranes their third win of the campaign.
Uganda now tops the group with 10 points, while South Sudan remains bottom with 0 points from four games.
Chad 0-1 Zambia: Musonda strikes as Zambia Marches On
Zambia secured a crucial 1-0 win over Chad in Group G, with Kennedy Musonda scoring the game’s only goal in the 70th minute.
Despite a penalty save from Toaster Nsabata in the 85th minute to deny Chad a late equalizer, Chipolopolo held firm to clinch all three points.
Zambia now sits second in the group with seven points, while Chad remains winless and at the bottom of the table with two points.
Lesotho 0-2 Gabon: Babicka and Effaghe on Target
Gabon moved up to second in Group B after a 2-0 win over Lesotho.
Shavy Babicka opened the scoring in the 55th minute before Rody Effaghe sealed the victory in the 84th minute with a close-range finish.
The win moves the Panthers to 7 points, while Lesotho remains at the bottom of the group with just one point from four games.
-CAF
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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Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Coach Augustine Eguavoen, has strongly condemned media reports suggesting that he is being considered to take over as Super Eagles Head Coach ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) should current handler Eric Chelle fail to secure qualification for next year’s FIFA World Cup.
Speaking on Wednesday, the former Super Eagles captain described the reports as false, misleading, and damaging, insisting that he maintains a cordial and professional relationship with Coach Chelle.
“I feel very hurt by these baseless rumours because I really have no idea where they are coming from,” Eguavoen said. “I have a very good working relationship with Coach Eric Chelle, and I have absolutely no interest in taking over the squad. I am praying for him to succeed.”
Eguavoen, who has previously served as interim head coach of the national team, expressed frustration that such speculation was resurfacing, warning that it could undermine team unity ahead of major assignments.
“This was how the same speculators created schism and disaffection between myself and Gernot Rohr, and later José Peseiro, when they coached the Super Eagles at different periods,” he recalled. “It is uncalled-for. We all need to work together to see the Super Eagles qualify for the World Cup and win the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.”
The NFF Technical Director reiterated his commitment to supporting the technical crew and fostering a collaborative atmosphere that will enable Nigeria’s senior team to achieve its set goals.
“Our collective focus should be on progress, not distractions,” he added. “Everyone in the system is working towards one goal — success for Nigeria.”
The Super Eagles are currently deep in preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, while their FIFA World Cup qualification campaign resumes later this year.
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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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