Ticket sales for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) Morocco 2026 officially opened on Wednesday, July 22, giving football fans across Africa and beyond the opportunity to secure seats for the continent’s premier women’s football competition.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) launched the first phase of ticket sales in partnership with Visa, with the initial 48-hour window reserved exclusively for Visa cardholders.

Under the arrangement, Visa cardholders have early access to tickets for the group-stage matches before sales are opened to the general public.

The exclusive pre-sale, which began on Wednesday, will run until Thursday, July 23.

Visa, an official CAF partner and global digital payments company, is offering its cardholders priority access during the period as part of its partnership with African football’s governing body.

The opening of ticket sales represents another major step towards the staging of WAFCON Morocco 2026, as anticipation builds among supporters in the host country and across the African continent.

Morocco is again at the centre of African women’s football, having established itself as a major destination for CAF competitions in recent years.

Following the conclusion of the Visa-exclusive window, ticket sales will open to the wider football public as preparations for the continental championship gather momentum.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

Nigeria’s Quadri Atunwon produced a remarkable comeback under intense pressure to secure the boys’ U-19 team title for his country at the 2026 ITTF Africa Youth Championships in Accra, Ghana.

Atunwon held his nerve in a dramatic deciding match as Nigeria recovered from 0-2 down to defeat Egypt 3-2 and retain their continental crown.

The victory proved to be Nigeria’s major consolation on a day otherwise dominated by Egypt, who underlined their status as Africa’s youth table tennis powerhouse by claiming three of the four team titles on offer.

The boys’ U-19 final provided the biggest drama, with Egypt racing into a 2-0 advantage and appearing on course for a clean sweep of the team events.

Sultan Agunbiade began Nigeria’s fightback with victory in the third match to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Matthew Kuti, who had earlier suffered a narrow 3-2 defeat to Yassin Gaber, then redeemed himself with a 3-1 victory over Abdelmalk Elsayed, drawing Nigeria level at 2-2 and setting up a winner-takes-all showdown between Atunwon and Gaber.

The deciding encounter lived up to the occasion.

Atunwon and Gaber traded games to leave the contest tied at 2-2 before the Nigerian surged into an 8-2 lead in the deciding fifth game.

Gaber, however, staged a stunning recovery, winning six successive points to level at 8-8 before moving to match point at 10-8.

With Nigeria’s title defence hanging by a thread, Atunwon responded magnificently.

He saved the match points to draw level at 10-10 and, after a tense exchange in the closing stages, eventually prevailed 16-14 to spark Nigerian celebrations and seal a memorable 3-2 triumph.

While Nigeria celebrated its U-19 success, Egypt dominated the remaining team competitions, winning the boys’ U-15, girls’ U-15 and girls’ U-19 crowns.

Nigeria, who entered the boys’ U-15 competition as defending champions, had earlier survived a stern semifinal challenge from hosts Ghana, squeezing through 3-2.

There was no repeat escape in the final as Egypt produced a flawless performance to win 3-0.

Ahmed Elsabbagh opened Egypt’s charge by beating Marvellous Joseph 3-0, before Asser Sameh overwhelmed Usman Ayoola by the same scoreline. Hussein Eyad completed the rout with another straight-games victory over Samson Joshua.

Egypt also reclaimed the girls’ U-15 crown they lost to Uganda in 2025, defeating Tunisia 3-1 in the final.

Their dominance extended to the girls’ U-19 event, where Algeria were swept aside 3-0 as Egypt successfully retained the title.

With three of the four team trophies secured, Egypt reaffirmed its dominance of African youth table tennis in Accra, but Nigeria ensured there would be no Egyptian clean sweep thanks to Atunwon’s unforgettable performance in the boys’ U-19 decider.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H

BY Kunle Solaja, who was at the UN

The FIFA World Cup brought me to New York, but on a rare free afternoon between deadlines, press conferences and match reports, I found myself drawn to another global institution that, in its own way, rivals FIFA in international significance—the United Nations Headquarters.

The visit was made even more compelling by geography. The imposing glass structure of the United Nations sits on Manhattan’s East Side, just a shouting distance from Nigeria House, the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations, which I also took time to visit.

At the mission, I had the pleasant surprise of meeting a familiar face from Nigerian football history—former international Humphrey Edobor, who now serves as the mission’s first point of contact on the ground floor. We barely had enough time for a proper conversation, as his busy schedule and the steady stream of visitors demanded his attention.

Kunle Solaja (right) poses with former Nigeria international Humphrey Edobor during a visit to Nigeria House, the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the United Nations in New York. Edobor, once one of Nigeria’s most exciting wingers, now serves at the mission.

For younger football followers, Edobor’s name may not immediately ring a bell, but in his playing days he was one of Nigeria’s most exciting wingers. He represented the country at the 1984 and 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, was a member of the Flying Eagles squad that competed at the 1983 FIFA World Youth Championship in Mexico, and enjoyed successful club careers with Bendel Insurance, New Nigeria Bank, Leventis United and El-Kanemi Warriors before taking his career abroad.

For a Nigerian journalist covering the world’s biggest sporting event, the closeness of Nigeria House to the United Nations felt symbolic. One building represents the world’s largest gathering of nations in diplomacy, while the other projects Nigeria’s identity, interests and voice on the international stage.

The walk along First Avenue was refreshing. Unlike the frenetic energy of Times Square, where giant electronic billboards compete for attention, and tourists move in endless streams, this corner of Manhattan exudes a quieter authority.

The flags of the world’s nations fluttered in disciplined formation outside the United Nations complex, creating perhaps the most colourful display of international unity anywhere on earth.

As I approached the headquarters, the iconic Secretariat Building rose majestically against the New York skyline. The structure, instantly recognisable from countless television broadcasts and newspaper photographs, looked both familiar and awe-inspiring at the same time. Here, presidents, prime ministers, monarchs and diplomats gather to debate issues affecting billions of people.

For a brief moment, my role as a football correspondent seemed to give way to something entirely different. Walking through the same gates that have welcomed generations of world leaders, heads of state, presidents and diplomats, carrying my visitor’s identification badge, I found myself imagining—if only fleetingly—what it must feel like to be part of the global diplomatic community. It was a rare feeling of stepping, however briefly, into the arena where history is discussed, differences are negotiated, and decisions that shape the world are made.

A memorable moment as I stepped into the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the global centre of diplomacy, during a break from my FIFA World Cup reporting assignment.

Only days earlier, I had watched Argentina and England battle fiercely for a place in the FIFA World Cup final. Before that, I had witnessed the emotional highs and lows of Morocco’s remarkable campaign.

Standing before the United Nations, however, I was reminded that football, despite its fierce rivalries, often serves a purpose remarkably similar to diplomacy. It brings people together across borders, languages, religions and cultures, creating common experiences that transcend politics and geography.

Like any institution of global importance, the United Nations operates with carefully observed protocols. Visitors first undergo security screening before entering the complex. Entry also requires advance online booking, after which each visitor is issued a personalised photo identification pass bearing the date of the visit.

My customised United Nations visitor’s identity card—a treasured addition to a growing collection of memorabilia gathered from covering ten consecutive FIFA World Cups and visiting iconic global institutions.

For those few hours, wearing that official visitor’s pass and moving through the corridors of the world’s foremost diplomatic institution, I could not help but feel a quiet sense of privilege. It was, perhaps, the closest a sports journalist could come to experiencing life as a diplomat—representing no government, yet sharing the same space where nations engage one another through dialogue rather than conflict.

Inside the visitors’ area, the atmosphere was calm and purposeful. Tourists from every continent mingled with diplomats, UN staff members and school groups. Different languages filled the air, yet there was a shared sense of curiosity, respect and international fellowship.

The famous General Assembly Hall was particularly striking. Seeing the chamber where representatives of the UN’s 193 member states gather underscored the immense scale of the institution. One could almost imagine the echoes of the historic speeches delivered there over the decades—moments that have shaped global history.

A view of the United Nations chambers through my lens, offering a glimpse into the venue where representatives of the world’s nations gather to deliberate on issues of global importance.

One of the first sights greeting visitors inside the main building is the imposing statue of the legendary Nelson Mandela. It was impossible to walk past without pausing. Naturally, it presented an irresistible photo opportunity, standing beside the likeness of one of the world’s greatest symbols of peace, reconciliation and human dignity.

Posing beside the statue of Nelson Mandela at the United Nations Headquarters—a fitting tribute to one of the world’s enduring symbols of peace, reconciliation and human dignity.

Outside, I paused once more at the line of national flags. My eyes instinctively searched for the green-white-green banner of Nigeria. There it was, standing proudly among the colours of the world—a reassuring reminder that despite being thousands of kilometres from home, Nigeria remained firmly represented in this global city.

That simple sight unexpectedly brought me back to the World Cup.

Throughout the tournament, I had watched supporters proudly wave their national colours in stadiums stretching from Vancouver to Atlanta and from Boston to New York. The flags outside the United Nations represented a different kind of contest—not one measured by goals, trophies or league tables, but by dialogue, cooperation and the collective pursuit of peace.

As the evening sun reflected off the glass façade of the Secretariat Building, transforming it into a shimmering tower of light, I reluctantly began my walk back.

Then came a surprise.

Just as I was leaving the main building, a voice called my attention. A Nigerian working at the United Nations, Kolawole Olugboye, tapped me on the shoulder. Meeting a fellow compatriot in such an international environment added another memorable moment to an already enriching visit. We exchanged warm greetings, sharing that familiar bond Nigerians often discover with one another far from home.

A memorable encounter with Kolawole Olugboye, a Nigerian working at the United Nations, whose warm welcome added a special touch to my visit to the world body’s headquarters in New York.

Soon, however, the demands of World Cup reporting beckoned once again. Another deadline. Another match. Another story. Another chapter in what had become my historic tenth consecutive FIFA World Cup coverage.

Yet the visit left me with a lasting reflection.

Football may be the world’s game, but the United Nations remains the place where the world itself comes together.

In New York, those two worlds exist almost side by side—one celebrating competition, passion and sporting excellence; the other devoted to dialogue, cooperation and peace. Between them stands Nigeria House, proudly representing the country in the global conversation.

For one unforgettable afternoon during the FIFA World Cup, I had the privilege of walking through all three.

Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H