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Tag: AFCON 2025

  • CAF holds AFCON 2025 prelim round draw today

    CAF holds AFCON 2025 prelim round draw today

    The Preliminary draw  for  the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will hold on Tuesday at the Confederations of African Football  (CAF) headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.

    CAF made this known in a statement released on its official website, communications@cafonline.com, by its Communication Department on Monday .

    According to the  governing body, following the conclusion of the 34th edition of the competition, the draw for TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025 Preliminary Round, is set for Tuesday.

    It states that the draw would be conducted at 14h00 local time (12h00 GMT).

    “The preliminary round will include the eight lowest-ranked teams according to the FIFA ranking: Somalia, Djibouti, Sao Tome, Chad, Mauritius, South Sudan, Liberia and Eswatini.

    “The matches will be played on home and away basis during the FIFA Window of March 18 to March 26 .

    “The four preliminary round winners will join the 44 exempted teams for the group stage,” CAF said.

    Morocco will host the  2025 AFCON competition.

    The just concluded 2023 AFCON was held in Côte d’Ivoire, where the host team, the Elephants defeated the Super Eagles of Nigeria 2-1 in the final of the tournament.

  • AFCON 2025: African countries begin race to Morocco with preliminary games

    AFCON 2025: African countries begin race to Morocco with preliminary games

    Following the end of the 2023 AFCON in Cote D’Ivoire the Journey to the next continental championship has begun.

    The Confederation of African Football, CAF has announced a date for the preliminary round draw for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

    The draw, according to CAF, will hold at its headquarters in Cairo, Egypt on Tuesday, February 20.

    The event will start at 2pm local time.

    As usual eight lowest-ranked teams in the last FIFA ranking will be involved in the preliminary round.

    The lowest ranked teams are; Somalia, Djibouti, Sao Tome, Chad, Mauritius, South Sudan, Liberia and Eswatini.

    The games will be played on a home and away basis between 18-26 March 2024.

    The four preliminary round winners will join the 44 exempted teams for the group stage.

    24 teams will take part in the AFCON 2025 finals to be hosted by Morocco.

    CAF is working with UEFA to work out a working timetable for the 2025 AFCON schedule to kick start in Rabat, Morocco in 2025.

    However, speculations are rife that it could be held in summer of 2025 or postponed till June January 2026.

  • Morocco 2025 AFCON : CAF announces kick off date

    Morocco 2025 AFCON : CAF announces kick off date

    The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the kick-off date for the qualifiers of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations slated for Morocco 2025.

    According to CAF, the preliminary round will take place from March 18 to 26, 2024.

    The first and second round matches are scheduled from September 2 to 10, 2024.

    The third and fourth round games will take place from September 7 to 15, 2024.

    The final rounds of the qualifiers are slated for November 11 to 19, 2024.

    Morocco got the hosting right of the tournament after Guinea was stripped of its hosting rights due to political unrest in the West African nation.

    Meanwhile AFCON 20243 is meant to kick start in January in Cote d’ Ivoire

     

  • Hosting 2025 AFCON with Benin Republic will improve Nigeria’s economy – Dare

    Hosting 2025 AFCON with Benin Republic will improve Nigeria’s economy – Dare

    Outgoing minister of Sports in Nigeria, Sunday Dare has said that hosting the 2025 AFCON will open doors for the country’s socio-economic development.

    Nigeria and Republic du Benin have jointly submitted a bid to host the 2025 AFCON tournament after initial host Guinea’s hosting right was withdrawn by CAF.

    Dare, who said that the Federal Government was still waiting for CAF to decide on the bid, believes the country has done all expected of it by the African body, which recently inspected the nation’s facilities to ascertain whether they are ready for the biennial event.

    Dare made this comment on a radio show in Lagos yesterday.

    “This is not the first time Nigeria is seeking to co-host the AFCON with a neighbouring African country. Benin Republic was the first country initially given the right to bid for the 2025 AFCON, but Nigeria had to join them because they know they cannot do it alone.

    “Already, CAF/FIFA representatives have visited Abuja, Uyo and other designated stadiums for the AFCON. The sports ministry is waiting for CAF’s verdict to know the next step to take,” he said.

    Dare disclosed that seven ministries, including the Ministry of Interior, are ready to put their resources together to achieve the hosting bid.

    “If the CAF verdict does not favour Nigeria and we can’t host the 2025 AFCON, Nigeria still has the chance to bid for the 2027 edition,” he said.

     

  • AFCON 2025: CAF inspection team approves Stephen Keshi Stadium

    AFCON 2025: CAF inspection team approves Stephen Keshi Stadium

    The Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba,  has been certified okay by Officials of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) during the inspection exercise saying the arena is suitable to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

    Recall that the stadium also hosted the 2022 National Sports Festival in the country.

    The CAF team, however, noted some corrections that must be made at the stadium to make it perfect for the competition. The team left Asaba yesterday morning.

    However, the Chairman, Delta Sports Commission, Tonobok Okowa, has promised that the state would fix the few areas the visitors pointed out as quickly as possible.

    He said ”The stadium hosted last year’s National Sports festival, and the facility has been updated to meet any international standard in terms of hosting any sporting competition.”

    He said: “As we speak, the team from CAF just left Asaba, and they are satisfied with facilities at the Stephen Keshi stadium. They inspected the main bowl, training facilities, hotels and other important facilities that will ensure the smooth running of the competition.

    “They pointed a few things, which we will fix as soon as possible,” Okowa stated.

    Guinea was originally scheduled to host the 2025 African Cup of Nations but was stripped of the right owing to slow preparations.

    Nigeria co-hosted the AFCON with Ghana in the year 2000. Morocco, Algeria and Zambia have also submitted bids to host the 2025 AFCON.

     

  • AFCON bid: CAF team inspects Nigeria’s stadia facilities

    AFCON bid: CAF team inspects Nigeria’s stadia facilities

    Inspectors appointed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) are in Nigeria to inspect stadiums and related facilities that Nigeria has put forward in a joint bid with the Benin Republic to host the 35th African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2025.

    On the cards for evaluation are the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja; Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo; Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba; Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos; Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City and Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna.

    The team inspected the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja on Friday. Saturday saw them at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos while they were at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba and the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin on Sunday.

    The inspectors will also check out the Stade Charles de Gaulle, Porto Novo in Benin Republic as part of their rounds for the joint bid between Nigeria and the Benin Republic. Nigeria hosted the biennial event in 1980 and co-hosted with Ghana 23 years ago.

  • AFCON 2025: CAF to inspect facilities in Nigeria, Republique du Benin

    AFCON 2025: CAF to inspect facilities in Nigeria, Republique du Benin

    Following the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations joint host bid submitted by Nigeria and Benin Republic, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) will visit both countries for inspection on March 31st and April 2nd respectively.

    Nigeria and Republique du Benin are planning to co-host Africa’s greatest football tournament initially billed for Guinea but were stripped of the hosting  right due to inadequacy and speed of progress in preparations.

    The CAF team is expected to inspect stadia, training facilities, hotels and other important facilities that will ensure smooth running of the competition.

    Morocco, Algeria, Zambia and South Africa are the other countries who have submitted bids to host the biennial event.

    Recall that the last time Nigeria hosted the tournament was in 2000 when it co-hosted with Ghana, the republic of Cameroon won the tournament defeating Nigeria 4-3 on Penalties.

    If Nigeria and Republique du Benin get the hosting rights,  two cities each from both countries will stage the competition that will take place in January 2025.

     

  • Morocco, Algeria set to submit bids to host 2025 AFCON

    Morocco, Algeria set to submit bids to host 2025 AFCON

    North African countries of  Algeria and Morocco are competing with Nigeria and Republic du Benin’s joint bid for the hosting right of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, (AFCON) tournament.

    Recall that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Sunday that it has withdrawn the hosting right of the competition from Guinea Conakry.

    CAF took the decision due to the country’s lack of quality infrastructure and facilities to host the 24-team competition.

    Former President of the Nigeria Football Federation,  (NFF) Amaju Melvin Pinnick, had earlier mentioned a joint bid from Nigeria and its neighbour Republic du Benin for the 2025 AFCON.

    However, thay  now face stiff competition from the two North African giants who already boast of well equipped facilities for the hosting of the tournament.

    Algerian Football Federation, Zefizef Djahid has already confirmed that his country will submit a bid to host the competition.

    “Algeria has all the capabilities to host the 2025 African Cup of Nations,” Djahid told Egyptian club, Kingfut.com.

    Morocco is expected to submit a bid to host the competition in the coming days.

    Algeria has been given the nod to host the 2023 CHAN tournament for home based African footballers.

    The competition will be held in January 2023 in four Algerian cities.

    Morocco hosted the 2022 female AFCON and it was largely a big success.

  • AFCON 2025: CAF dismisses Nigeria/Benin Republic Joint bid

    AFCON 2025: CAF dismisses Nigeria/Benin Republic Joint bid

    The Confederation of African Football CAF has dismissed reports that Guinea will be stripped of the 2025 AFCON hosting rights and given to Nigeria/Benin Republic.

    It was gathered that football stakeholders have been doubting the readiness of Guinea to stage the biennial events.

    Recall that the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Melvin Pinnick on Tuesday said Nigeria and its neighbor the Benin Republic are set to take over from Guinea.

    CAF top official who remained anonymous told BBC Sports Africa that Guinea remained the host.

    “We’ve not discussed anything about a replacement or received any communication from Guinea about the inability to host. At this very moment, everything is on track for Guinea to host and there is no reason to suggest otherwise,” he told BBC Sports Africa

    Nigeria last hosted AFCON in 2000 when they co-hosted with Ghana.

    Meanwhile, CAF has postponed the 2023 AFCON  billed for Cote d’ Ivoire to January 2024, it remains unclear if the 36th edition will hold in 2025 or not.