AFCON
Ahead of Final Draw: Africa Cup of Nations in Numbers
Ahead of the draw for the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 that will be staged in Rabat on January 27, we round up the numbers on the continent’s greatest footballing show.
0 – There will be no debut nation at these finals in Morocco. All 24 teams have competed at least once before in the continental showpiece, though Botswana and Comoros will be making a second appearance.
1 – Former Zambia goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene is the only gloveman to score at the AFCON when he netted a penalty in a 1-1 pool stage draw with Nigeria in 2013. Zambia were defending champions but could not hold onto their crown.
2 – Ex-Egypt striker Hassan El-Shazly holds the record for most hattricks at the AFCON after he scored two – one in 1963 and another in 1970.
3 – Two coaches have lifted the AFCON trophy three times. Ghana’s Charles Gyamfi and Hassan Shehata, who won three in a row between 2006 and 2010.
3 – Egypt are the only nation to lift the AFCON trophy three tournaments in a row when they were champions in 2006, 2008 and 2010.
5 – Laurent Pokou holds the record for the most goals scored in a single AFCON match when he netted five times for Cote d’Ivoire in a 6-1 victory over Ethiopia in 1970.
6 – Four players have managed to score in six different finals tournaments – Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon, above), Kalusha Bwalya (Zambia), Andre Ayew (Ghana) and Asamoah Gyan (Ghana).
7 – Egypt have won the AFCON title the most times with seven victories. They have also claimed three silver medals and three bronze, so have 13 medals in total. Nigeria actually have the most medals overall with three gold, five silver and eight bronze for a total of 16.
8 – Ex-Cameroon defender Rigobert Song, former Egypt star Ahmed Hassan, Ghana striker Andre Ayew and Tunisian forward Youssef Msakni hold the record for the most AFCON tournament appearances as a player with eight each.
9 – Former Zaire (now DR Congo) forward Ndaye Mulamba holds the record for the most goals in a single AFCON finals when he netted nine in 1974 to lead his side to the title.
9 – Frenchman Claude Leroy holds the record for most tournaments as a coach having led teams at nine separate AFCON between 1986 and 2017. He took six different teams to the finals in all – Cameroon (twice), Senegal (twice), Ghana, DR Congo (twice), Congo-Brazzaville and Togo.
12 – Twelve of the previous 34 host nations have lifted the AFCON trophy on home soil. Cote d’Ivoire managed it at the 2023 finals, the first time a host had won since Egypt in 2006.
16 – The youngest player to appear at the AFCON finals was Shiva N’Zigou, who was 16 years and 93 days when he played for Gabon in a group stage match against South Africa in 2000.
17 – Tunisia hold the record for the most consecutive AFCON finals appearances. Morocco 2025 will be their 17th in a row.
18 – Former Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o holds the record for most goals at the AFCON finals with 18 from 29 matches across six tournaments between 2000 and 2010.
26 – Egypt have appeared at the most finals, 26, one more than Cote d’Ivoire, who are next on the list, with Ghana in third on 24 appearances. The latter will not be in Morocco this time round.
44 – The oldest player to appear at the AFCON was ex-Egypt goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary (above), who was 44 years and 21 days old when he played against Cameroon in 2017.
44 – The number of African nations out of 54 who have qualified for the finals in the past. Only Central African Republic, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Eswatini, Lesotho, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Somalia and South Sudan have never appeared.
111 – Egypt have played the most games at the AFCON finals. Cote d’Ivoire (106), Ghana (105) and Nigeria (104) are the other nations to have played over a century of games. Egypt also hold the records for games won (60) and goals scored (175).
119 – The 2023 finals holds the record for most goals scored at 119, smashing the previous record of 102 in 2019. Both those tournaments featured 24 teams. The finals with the most goals on average per game was in 1962 (4.50 per game) and the least in 1988 (1.44).
1957 – The first AFCON finals was played in 1957 and contained only three teams – Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan.
-CAF
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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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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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