AFCON
Countdown to Morocco 2025 Draw: Behold, AFCON evergreen players!
The record for the greatest number of appearances at the Africa Cup of Nations finals is shared by Andre Ayew of Ghana and Rigobert Song from Cameroon with 36 each.
Both competed at eight finals tournaments, with Song appearing successively from the 1996 edition in South Africa to the 2010 tournament in Angola.
Ayew’s first tournament was in 2008 in Ghana and he has played in all since, except the 2013 finals in South Africa.
Here is a closer look at their achievements.
RIGOBERT SONG
Song won the tournament twice in 2000 and 2002 and was a runner-up in 2008. In the 2000 final in Lagos, it was Song who converted the winning kick in the post-match penalty shootout.
He played 35 successive matches at the finals in the starting line-up while his 36th game was a substitute appearance against Tunisia in the last group game of the 2010 edition in Lubango, Angola.
Song’s matches:
1996
South Africa 3 Cameroon 0
Cameroon 2 Egypt 1
Angola 3 Cameroon 3
1998
Burkina Faso 0 Cameroon 1
Cameroon 2 Guinea 2
Algeria 1 Cameroon 2
Cameroon 0 DR Congo 1
2000
Ghana 1 Cameroon 1
Cameroon 3 Cote d’Ivoire 0
Cameroon 0 Togo 1
Algeria 1 Cameroon 2
Cameroon 3 Tunisia 0
Nigeria 2 Cameroon 2
2002
Cameroon 1 DR Congo 0
Cameroon 1 Cote d’Ivoire 0
Cameroon 3 Togo 0
Cameroon 1 Egypt 0
Mali 0 Cameroon 3
Cameroon 0 Senegal 0
2004
Algeria 1 Cameroon 1
Cameroon 5 Zimbabwe 3
Cameroon 0 Egypt 0
Cameroon 1 Nigeria 2
2006
Angola 1 Cameroon 3
Cameroon 2 Togo 0
Cameroon 2 DR Congo 0
Cameroon 1 Cote d’Ivoire 1
2008
Cameroon 2 Egypt 4
Cameroon 5 Zambia 1
Cameroon 3 Sudan 0
Cameroon 3 Tunisia 2
Ghana 0 Cameroon 1
Cameroon 0 Egypt 1
2010
Cameroon 0 Gabon 1
Cameroon 3 Zambia 2
Cameroon 2 Tunisia 2
ANDRE AYEW
Ayew was a teenager when selected for the 2008 finals which Ghana hosted and he came on as a substitute in all three group games before starting for the first time in the semi-final loss to Song’s Cameroon.
Two years later in Angola he played in the final as Ghana lost to Egypt and was also a runner-up in the 2015 edition in Equatorial Guinea, which the Black Stars lost on post-match penalties to Cote d’Ivoire.
Ayew did not participate in the 2013 finals, where he chose to sit out the tournament, and had he taken part would surely have the record for the most tournaments and appearances.
Ayew’s matches:
2008
Ghana 2 Guinea 1
Ghana 1 Namibia 0
Ghana 2 Morocco 0
Ghana 0 Cameroon 1
2010
Cote d’Ivoire 3 Ghana 1
Burkina Faso 0 Ghana 1
Angola 0 Ghana 1
Ghana 1 Nigeria 0
Egypt 1 Ghana 0
2012
Botswana 0 Ghana 1
Ghana 2 Mali 0 (goal)
Ghana 1 Guinea 1
Ghana 2 Tunisia 1 (goal)
Ghana 0 Zambia 1
Ghana 0 Mali 2
2015
Ghana 1 Senegal 2 (goal)
Algeria 0 Ghana 1
Ghana 2 South Africa 1 (goal)
Ghana 3 Guinea 0
Equatorial Guinea 0 Ghana 3 (goal)
Cote d’Ivoire 0 Ghana 0
2017
Ghana 1 Uganda 0 (goal)
Ghana 1 Mali 0
Egypt 1 Ghana 0
DR Congo 1 Ghana 2 (goal)
Cameroon 2 Ghana 0
Burkina Faso 1 Ghana 0
2019
Benin 1 Ghana 2 (goal)
Cameroon 0 Ghana 0
Ghana 2 Guinea Bissau 0
Ghana 1 Tunisia 1
2022
Ghana 0 Morocco 1
Gabon 1 Ghana 1 (goal)
Comoros Islands 3 Ghana 2
2023
Cape Verde Islands 2 Ghana 1
Ghana 2 Mozambique 2
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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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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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