AFCON
Odegbami, 1980 AFCON Winner, Canvasses Support For Super Eagles –
Former Nigeria captain, Segun Odegbami has called on Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to provide ample support for, and have strong belief in, the Super Eagles to triumph at the ongoing 34th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cote d’Ivoire.
Speaking on his radio programme on Eagle FM on Saturday morning, the one known as ‘The Mathematical’ in his playing days reiterated his much-vaunted belief that Nigeria will emerge champions of the continent for the fourth time at the final tournament in Cote d’Ivoire, and called on all patriotic Nigerians to do their bit in their own place and sector to back the team’s campaign.
“I have unflagging confidence that this team will do it again. I have been saying it for some weeks now and the belief is getting stronger by the day. That is why I drove all the way from Nigeria with my team, across the stretch of one thousand and one hundred kilometres of single carriage-way, all to cheer the team to victory.
“Some people have said that any time we play or defeat Cote d’Ivoire at the AFCON, we go all the way to the final, and even win it. That may be superstitious but there are facts in-there. Our team was not in a good place before the tournament and the opening game against Equatorial Guinea was not reassuring, but the victory over the host nation and one of the strong favourites has turned things around and we’re looking good.”
Odegbami is a true legend of the African game. He was top scorer of the 1980 finals that Nigeria hosted and won, in the process battling Cote d’Ivoire to a scoreless draw in a group phase encounter. ‘The Mathematical’ scored 23 goals for Nigeria in an international career that spanned seven years, during which he won the AFCON gold and two bronze medals, played at the 1980 Olympics after the Nigeria team was recalled from the 1976 Olympics as the country led an African boycott of the Montreal Games, and was voted third best player in Africa in 1980.
“I am very much convinced that this is our year and I want Nigerians from high and low places to support the NFF in whichever they can to motivate and galvanise the team. That win over Cote d’Ivoire has strengthened my faith. It takes a champion team to beat the host nation with such self-belief, panache and calmness.”
The Super Eagles have continued their preparation for Monday’s encounter with the Wild Dogs of Guinea Bissau at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, in which victory will confirm Nigeria as group winners, barring a massacre of the Ivorian Elephants by the Thunder of Equatorial Guinea the same day at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara.
Guinea Bissau’s Dogs are pointless and largely hopeless but could be dangerous on the take as they have nothing to lose on the day.
“We are not in the business of under-rating any team in this tournament,” defender and on-field captain William Ekong said on Saturday afternoon. “Every single team that is here qualified to be here; no one got a free pass. We must approach every match with a business-like mentality. No team ever wins a match before the final whistle.”
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially opened the bidding process for countries interested in hosting the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2028, 2032 and 2036, with several member associations already submitting proposals.
CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe disclosed that the bidding exercise is progressing smoothly and described the level of interest from prospective hosts as encouraging.
“The bidding process is progressing very well, and numerous exciting bids have been submitted by potential host countries,” CAF said, adding that announcements on successful hosts will be made in due course.
Meanwhile, CAF confirmed that its 48th Ordinary General Assembly will be held in Abuja, Nigeria, on November 21, 2026.
The continental governing body expressed appreciation to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for their cooperation in preparations for the event.
CAF said the General Assembly is expected to attract football leaders from across the continent and will play a significant role in shaping policies aimed at accelerating the development and growth of African football.
The organisation added that the Abuja gathering is expected to be one of its most significant assemblies in recent years as CAF continues implementing reforms across competitions, infrastructure development, youth football and governance.
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By Kunle Solaja
Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have taken the first step towards jointly hosting the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations after submitting an expression of interest to the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The Nigerien Football Federation announced that CAF had accepted the joint declaration submitted by the three West African nations, marking the opening phase of the bidding process.
However, the acceptance of the expression of interest does not amount to an award of the hosting rights, as the countries must still undergo CAF’s comprehensive evaluation process before a final decision is made.
The three football federations unveiled their joint project following a meeting with CAF President Patrice Motsepe in the United States during the closing stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The proposed bid brings together the three members of the Alliance of Sahel States, reflecting their ambition to co-host one of Africa’s biggest sporting events and strengthen regional cooperation through football.
Earlier this month, CAF officially opened the bidding process for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, inviting all 54 member associations to submit expressions of interest. The continental governing body said all bids would be assessed based on strict technical, financial and legal criteria.
As the next stage of the process, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso must prepare a comprehensive bid dossier outlining the proposed host cities, stadiums, training facilities, transport infrastructure, accommodation capacity and security arrangements.
CAF has yet to announce the timetable for selecting the 2032 host nation(s) or reveal the full list of countries expected to compete for the hosting rights.
Should the joint bid eventually succeed, the tournament would return to Mali for the first time since it staged the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations. It would also mark a historic first for both Niger and Burkina Faso, neither of which has previously hosted the continent’s flagship football championship.
The bid underscores the growing trend of joint hosting arrangements for major football tournaments, allowing neighbouring countries to pool infrastructure and resources while expanding the reach of the competition across multiple nations.
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA, Brooklyn, NY
A document circulating widely on social media claiming that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has stripped Morocco of its 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title and declared Senegal champions appears to be fabricated, with official CAS records showing no evidence that a final ruling has been issued.
The claim emerged months after the Senegalese Football Federation appealed a decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to award Morocco a 3-0 victory in the controversial AFCON final. While Senegal’s appeal is genuine, the latest official information indicates that the case remains unresolved.
One of the clearest indications that the viral document is not authentic is its case number. The circulating image bears the reference CAS 2026/A/10857, whereas CAS officially confirmed that Senegal’s appeal was registered under CAS 2026/A/12295. Such a discrepancy would not be expected in a genuine final award.
The document also incorrectly identifies the dispute as being solely between the Senegalese Football Federation and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. CAS has officially stated that the appeal was lodged against both CAF and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, since the challenged decision originated from CAF’s Appeals Board.
The purported ruling further claims that CAS issued its verdict on June 10, 2026, accepting Senegal’s appeal, overturning CAF’s decision and restoring the result achieved on the field, effectively awarding the continental title to Senegal.
However, a review of CAS’s official communications reveals no statement, judgment or announcement issued on that date regarding the AFCON final dispute.
The latest public update from CAS remains the statement released on March 25, 2026, in which the court confirmed only that Senegal’s appeal had been registered and that an arbitration panel had been appointed. CAS also stated that it was too early to determine a hearing date or indicate when a final decision might be delivered.
In the same communication, CAS disclosed that Senegal had requested an extension to file its appeal brief until it received the full written reasons behind CAF’s ruling. The court also reiterated that arbitration proceedings remain confidential while ongoing.
That timeline directly contradicts the claims contained in the viral document.
Further doubts about the document’s authenticity stem from the fact that it does not appear in CAS’s official database of published decisions. The image circulating online also excludes CAF from the list of respondents and exists only as a low-quality graphic featuring signatures, stamps and an Arabic translation without any verifiable official source.
CAS typically publishes non-confidential rulings through its official database or recent decisions section. No ruling relating to the AFCON final dispute has been published.
Until CAS announces otherwise, CAF’s Appeals Board decision remains the only valid and enforceable ruling in the matter.
On March 17, 2026, CAF’s Appeals Board ruled that Senegal had forfeited the AFCON final after its players left the field during the match. Invoking Articles 82 and 84 of the competition regulations, the board awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory, overturned an earlier disciplinary decision and upheld Morocco’s protest.
Senegal subsequently challenged that ruling before CAS, but the appeal has yet to produce a publicly announced outcome.
As things stand, there is no official evidence that CAS has revoked Morocco’s AFCON 2025 title or declared Senegal champions. Unless and until the Lausanne-based court issues a formal decision, CAF’s ruling remains in force, making the viral document misleading and highly likely to be fake.
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