AFCON
TOPS AND FLOPS OF 2019 AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS
The curtain has finally fallen on the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, the biggest and the first summer edition. Algeria ended a 29-year wait for a second title on Friday night with a 1-0 victory over Senegal, who again missed out in their quest for a maiden continental crown.
AFP Sport takes a look at the standout performers over the past month in Egypt and those who fell short of expectations:
Tops
Madagascar
Led by charismatic coach Nicolas Dupuis, Madagascar emerged as the surprise team of the tournament with a fairytale run to the quarter-finals. A squad largely comprised of players from the French lower leagues, the ‘Barea’ stunned African giants Nigeria in the group stage and extended their remarkable adventure with a memorable penalty shootout victory over DR Congo in the last 16. After four games without defeat, the exhausted debutants found a Tunisia side ranked 83 places above them a “step too high” to surmount.
Djamel
Belmadi
The straight-talking Belmadi inherited a talented but troubled Algeria squad and rebuilt it into a championship-calibre team. Having taken over a side that failed to advance from the 2017 group stage and endured a woeful World Cup qualifying bid, the 43-year-old succeeded where a series of predecessors could not by turning a drifting side into the sleekest unit in Egypt. Former Cup of Nations-winning coach Claude Le Roy labelled Algeria “Guardiolaesque” in terms of organisation, and the Desert Foxes proved worthy champions, twice defeating the top-ranked nation in Africa to capture the title.
Odion Ighalo
Sharp criticism and death threats almost caused Ighalo to quit Nigeria duty after last year’s World Cup. Following encouragement from coach Gernot Rohr the China-based forward reaffirmed his commitment to the national team and finished top scorer in Egypt with five goals as a young Super Eagles side clinched third place.
The 30-year-old was at his best in the win over holders Cameroon in the last 16, when he scored twice and set up the winner for Alex Iwobi. He announced his international retirement on Saturday after netting the only goal in the play-off against Tunisia.
Ismael Bennacer
The former Arsenal youngster was named player of the tournament after emerging as a core component of Algeria’s midfield. The all-action 21-year-old combined defensive duties with vital contributions in attack and provided three assists, which included setting up Baghdad Bounedjah’s winner in the final. He will join AC Milan from Empoli ahead of the new season and Belmadi singled him out as one to watch for the future.
Flops
Nicolas
Pepe (Cote d’Ivoire)
The in-demand Ivorian forward arrived in Egypt as one of the players to watch after a magnificent season with Lille, his 22 goals in Ligue 1 second only to Kylian Mbappe. He showed glimpses of his ability in the opening 1-0 win over South Africa, but the 24-year-old failed to shine and was left on the bench as his side lost on penalties to Algeria in the quarter-finals.
Clarence
Seedorf
Handed the tricky task of leading Cameroon’s Africa Cup of Nations title defence, Seedorf’s coaching credentials took another hit as the holders were bundled out in the last 16.
He paid the price for what the Cameroon FA described as a “premature” exit as he was sacked scarcely a week later along with assistant Patrick Kluivert, adding to failures at AC Milan, Deportivo La Coruna and Shenzhen.
Egypt
As winners of three of four previous editions in Egypt, the hosts were expected to be chief contenders for a record-extending eighth title. But after sailing through a favourable group, Mohamed Salah and the Pharaohs suffered a shock 1-0 loss to South Africa in the first knockout round.
The fiasco cost coach Javier Aguirre his job and prompted Egyptian FA president Hani Abou Rida to resign. A sexual harassment scandal involving midfielder Amr Warda also reignited a heated debate about women’s rights in the country.
Hakim
Ziyech (Morocco)
The Ajax winger starred as the Dutch giants secured a domestic double and came within seconds of reaching the Champions League final, but after a long season with his club Ziyech struggled to inspire Morocco.
Left out of the 2017 squad, he was hoping to propel the Atlas Lions towards a shot at the title but his missed stoppage-time penalty against Benin hurt Herve Renard’s team dearly as they eventually succumbed to the Squirrels in a shootout in the last 16.
-AFP
The Confederation of African Football has announced a major overhaul of its flagship competition, with the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) set to expand from 24 to 28 teams.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe disclosed the decision on Sunday following an executive committee meeting, describing it as part of the body’s commitment to elevating African football to global standards.
Motsepe said the expansion would create more opportunities for countries across the continent while ensuring that top African players worldwide return home to compete at the highest level.
“This is about our commitment to world-class football, bringing together the best African players from across the globe to compete on the continent,” he stated.
However, the CAF boss did not provide details on how the new 28-team format would be structured or when the expansion would take effect, leaving questions over qualification pathways and tournament scheduling.
Continuity for 2027, New Cycle from 2028
Motsepe confirmed that the 2027 AFCON will proceed as planned with co-hosts Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, maintaining the current 24-team format for that edition.
In a significant shift, CAF also announced that another AFCON tournament will be staged in 2028, after which the competition will move to a four-year cycle—aligning more closely with other major international tournaments.
CAF Nations League Introduced
In addition to AFCON reforms, CAF revealed plans to introduce an African Nations League starting from 2029. The new competition will be held annually, with a 16-team final tournament staged every two years.
The initiative is aimed at improving the competitiveness, structure and commercial value of the African national team football.
“We have to stop this situation where African fixtures are not predictable, consistent and reliable,” Motsepe said. “We must also focus on developing football in regions like East Africa, which has enormous potential.”
A New Era for African Football
The proposed changes mark one of the most ambitious restructurings of African football competitions in recent years, with CAF seeking to expand participation, enhance organisation and create a more predictable football calendar.
While details are still emerging, the decisions are expected to have far-reaching implications for national teams, qualification formats and the overall growth of the game across the continent.
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The Confederation of African Football said it would implement changes and improvements to its statutes and regulations that would ensure that the farcical scenes at January’s Africa Cup of Nations final do not happen again.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe said the changes would strengthen trust and confidence in its referees, VAR operators and judicial bodies, but did not give concrete details.
The announcement followed a meeting of CAF’s executive committee in Cairo on Sunday and came on a tumultuous day for the organisation as its general secretary resigned.
African football’s governing body has been battling a crisis of confidence after its Appeal Board stripped Senegal of the Cup of Nations title in a decision that has been met with widespread derision.
Senegal were ruled to have forfeited the final in Rabat on January 18 after walking off the pitch in protest at a potentially decisive penalty awarded to Morocco. They returned and scored a goal in extra time to win the game 1-0.
The decision is being challenged at the Court of Arbitration for Sport and if Senegal win back their title it will be a further blow to CAF’s credibility.
“CAF has taken extensive legal advice from top African and international football lawyers and experts, to ensure that the CAF statutes and regulations adhere to and implement global football best practices, on and off the field,” Motsepe said in a statement on Sunday.
“This is important for the respect, integrity and credibility of African referees, VAR operators and the CAF Disciplinary Board and Appeal Board.
“CAF is working with FIFA for the ongoing training of African referees, VAR operators and match commissioners so that they are as good as the best in the world… CAF has made significant progress over the past five years in implementing governance, ethics, transparency and managerial best practices,” the CAF president added.
More precise details on the changes and how they would avoid a repeat of the Cup of Nations final controversy were not given by Motsepe, who earlier this month admitted his organisation was struggling with perceptions about its integrity.
-Reuters
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By Kunle Solaja
The Confederation of African Football may be considering possible disciplinary measures against Senegal following reports that the country’s national team has continued to parade the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy despite being stripped of the title.
The development has triggered fresh debate within African football circles, with CAF understood to be treating the matter as a potential breach of its statutes and disciplinary code.
Sources close to the continental body indicate that Senegal’s actions could be interpreted as defiance of an official ruling, raising concerns about respect for regulatory authority and the precedent such conduct may set for other member associations.
CAF is believed to be weighing a range of sanctions, which could include financial penalties, formal reprimands, or restrictions on the country’s participation in certain CAF programmes and competitions.
While no final decision has been announced, insiders suggest that the governing body is keen to send a strong message on compliance and institutional discipline.
There are also indications that CAF’s disciplinary committee may be tasked with reviewing the circumstances surrounding the continued public display of the trophy, including whether the act constitutes misconduct under its regulations.
The issue is seen as more than a symbolic dispute over silverware. Analysts argue that how CAF handles the situation will reflect its ability to enforce decisions and maintain order among its 54 member associations.
“CAF cannot afford to appear weak on matters of discipline,” a source familiar with the situation said. “If a federation openly disregards a ruling, it undermines the entire governance structure.”
CAF is expected to provide clarity on the issue during an upcoming press engagement, where its president may outline the organisation’s position and any disciplinary steps to be taken.
For Senegal, the situation presents a delicate balancing act between national pride and compliance with continental football authority. For CAF, it represents a critical test of leadership and regulatory enforcement at a time when the credibility of African football governance remains under close watch.
The coming days are likely to determine whether the matter escalates into a full disciplinary case or is resolved through diplomatic engagement behind the scenes.
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