Tag: AFCON 2025

By Joshua Osinowo

‎Carthage Eagles of Tunisia head coach, Sami Trabelsi, has expressed deep respect for the Super Eagles of Nigeria ahead of their meeting at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

‎ Tunisia were drawn in the same group as Nigeria, along with the Taifa Stars of Tanzania and the Cranes of Uganda, in what promises to be a fiercely contested pool.

‎Speaking to CAFOnline, Trabelsi acknowledged Nigeria’s pedigree and the quality they bring to the tournament. “Nigeria remains a continental powerhouse, with a vast pool of talent playing at top European clubs,” he said. “They are always among the favourites to win the title, and facing them is never easy.”

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‎The Super Eagles, who finished second at the last AFCON, are widely tipped as strong contenders once again, thanks to their depth of talent and recent resurgence under head coach Eric Chelle. The three-time African champions boast several top players competing across elite European leagues, giving them a strong edge in experience and skill.

‎Trabelsi, however, insisted that Tunisia will not be intimidated. He emphasized his team’s determination to compete with confidence and discipline, noting that their last encounter with Nigeria — a 1-0 victory in the Round of 16 at the AFCON 2021 finals in Cameroon — proved that they can rise to the occasion against Africa’s best.

‎“Our previous victory against Nigeria gives us belief,” Trabelsi added. “But every tournament is different. We respect them, yet we will focus on our strengths and prepare to qualify from the group.”

‎The anticipated Nigeria–Tunisia clash is already shaping up to be one of the most exciting fixtures of AFCON 2025, as two of Africa’s football giants renew their growing rivalry.

Reports from Egyptian sports outlet Cairo24 have revealed that t

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has reportedly finalized arrangements to play an international friendly match against Nigeria in December as part of the Pharaohs’ preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

According to Cairo24, the friendly will take place during Egypt’s final training camp ahead of the continental tournament, scheduled to run from December 21, 2025, to January 19, 2026. The match is said to have been agreed upon following consultations between the EFA leadership and the national team’s technical staff, led by twin brothers Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan.

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The outlet added that the technical crew had specifically requested a strong test match before AFCON, where Egypt will compete in Group B alongside Angola, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. The Pharaohs are also set to participate in a four-nation invitational tournament in the UAE from November 10 to 18, featuring Iran, Uzbekistan, and Cape Verde.

But the Director of Communications of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Dr. Ademola Olajire, said he had not been briefed on any such arrangement.

“I am not aware of any friendly match between Nigeria and Egypt at the moment. I have not been briefed on it,” Olajire told NationSport correspondent yesterday.

The CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025 will kick-off in Morocco in exactly 100 days, bringing together passionate fans from across the continent and showcasing Africa’s football excellence to the world.

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Africa’s biggest sporting event is expected to break the records set by the hugely successful 2023 edition in Côte d’Ivoire, which attracted a global television audience of over 1.5 billion and more than 2.4 billion digital streams.

Former Nigeria International, Ifeanyi Udeze, has stressed that Nigeria’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Group C opponents should pose no threats if the Super Eagles  are ready to compete for the title.

The three-time African champions were drawn in Group C alongside Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania during Monday night’s draw in Rabat, Morocco.

The former PAOK Salonica (Greece) defender revealed that Nigeria should qualify from the group, though admitted  there are no longer minors in African football.

“For me, it’s a straightforward group for the Super Eagles. It’s not a tough group for us,” Udeze said on Brila FM.

“I agree there are no more minnows in African football, but the Super Eagles should be able to progress from this group.”

Another  former Nigeria international, Victor Ikpeba, is  equally optimistic about the  chances of the Super Eagles in this group.

The  1998 African Footballer of the Year quipped:  “We have made a lot of progress in African football, we saw what happened in the last Nations Cup. Most of the favourites have to earn their qualification to the next round but I’ll take Nigeria’s group. I think we can do the job against Tunisia, Tanzania and Uganda will be difficult, every match will be difficult.

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 “We saw how difficult it was in the last Nations Cup but I think our boys have what it takes to get out of the group although it will be very difficult.”

Speaking  about the ‘toughness’ of the  other  section , particularly Group B which is widely regarded as the group of death, the former Monaco striker stated  matter-of-factly:

“I won’t like to be in the Egypt, South Africa and Angola group, that is a very difficult group but it is true that to win the Nations Cup, you have to win the bigger countries,” he said.  “I think we have a fair group. With due respect to Tanzania and Uganda, I think the Super Eagles will get out of that group.”

The Final Draw for the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 will take place in the grand setting of the Mohammed V National Theatre in Rabat on Monday, 27 January at 19h00 local time (7:00pm Nigerian time).

Inaugurated in 1961 by King Hassan II out of respect to his father, the theatre is an architectural jewel located in the heart of the Moroccan capital.

It embodies the elegance and rich cultural heritage of Morocco, a country that will host a memorable AFCON from 21 December, 2025 to 18 January, 2026.

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Rabat is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the river Bou Regreg and has a metropolitan population of 1.8-million.

The Final Draw ceremony, a symbolic starting point for the competition, will see the 24 qualified teams divided into six first round groups for the finals.

The event will bring together leading figures in African football, heads of federations, international media and sports legends, promising a star-filled night.

Sport and culture will intertwine to offer a grandiose show. This celebration will reflect the uniqueness of Moroccan culture and the excellence of the organisation of this 35^th  edition of Africa’s greatest football competition.

German coach wants  stiffer sanctions for Libya

Republic of Benin German coach Gernot Rohr has described the decision of the Super Eagles interim coach, Austin Eguavoen, to leave out some of his best players on the bench in the dead rubber AFCON 2025  final-day qualifier match against the Amavubi of Rwanda as nothing but  fundamental error, adding that it lacked merit and fair play.

Having already qualified for the  tournament  since last Thursday,  Eguavoen put out a ‘second string’ starting line-up against the  Amavubi sans mercurial striker Victor Osimhen, ace midfielder Wilfred  Ndidi, amongst  others.

In the end, the Super Eagles  were handed a  2-1 defeat by  Rwanda, a result which could  have ruined the qualification chances of Benin who were away to Libya in Tripoli. But superior goal difference sent The Cheetahs to Morocco 2025.   

 “We were  shocked  with the defeat of  Nigeria in Uyo by Rwanda,“ the erstwhile Super Eagles coach told NationSports. “The defeat of Nigeria came because  you  believed  that you can leave your best players on the bench.

 “I think doing that means  you didn’t play the match in  the  spirit of fair play.“

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He continued: “You don’t  do that because you had already qualified. That was a bad decision. It was not fair play for the other  teams in the group. We saw that and we were really surprised.”

The experienced 71-year-old, who had previously managed Niger, Burkina Faso  and Gabon, said they knew they were to face a tough side  in Libya, hence they girded their loins to secure a goalless draw to seal their ticket to Morocco 2025.

 “Of course, we did not wait for the help of the Super Eagles to qualify, and we had to play our own game to get the result for our qualification. The spirit of the game should always be that of fair play; and to do that, they (Super Eagles coaching crew) should have allowed players like Victor Osimhen and Wilfred Ndidi  to start the game (against Rwanda).”

Reacting to  the assault on the  Beninese  contingent after The Cheetahs secured  their  AFCON  2025 ticket, Rohr  said it was about time that  the Confederation of African Football (CAF) cracked down on the petulant Libyans, who are  always quick to bring the game into disrepute

The Benin Football Federation would in the coming days file a formal protest to the Confederation of African Football (CAF)  against Libya following the wanton attack on its national team, The Cheetahs, after their gusty goalless  draw  in Monday’s 2025 AFCON qualifier  against the Mediterranean Knights in Tripoli.

The result was enough for the Beninese side to  secure the second Group D  ticket for the 2025 AFCON to be hosted in Morocco  ahead of both Rwanda and  Libya.  It would  be The Cheetahs’ first qualification for the  prestigious  continental tournament since their last appearance  at the  2019 fiesta in Egypt.

But the unruly Libyan fans did not allow the coach Gernot Rohr-led  side celebrate  their  AFCON qualification  in style as they hurled missiles on the  players soon  after  the match at the Tripoli National Stadium.

 As if  that was not enough, some Libyan  security men  reportedly descended  on the team’s bus on their way  out of the stadium leaving  German coach Gernot Rohr and few others  with injuries.

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“After the game tension was high and the security advised  our delegation to wait in the dressing room for some hours in order to prevent them being attacked by the hostile Libyan fans,” a decent source on the Beninese contingent to Tripoli told NationSports. “But when our players and staff members were in the bus some Libyan  police men entered and beat coach Gernot, our Italian keeper trainer and the our hired Tunisian security officers.

“They wounded all of them,” he added.

As the Beninese contingent  touched down in Cotonou last night, NationSports  gathered that  the FBF  will be sending  its protest  to the continental  soccer ruling body to guide  against such barbaric behaviour of the Libyans in the future.

 “Of course a formal  complaints will be sent to CAF because the Libyans cannot be allowed to go away with this,”  experienced journalist, Elvis Dedjinou Zanclan stated matter-of-factly.“ Right now the whole delegation is on their way back to Cotonou. The plane will land by 5pm.The FA will take further action  later.”

Recall that Libya were recently ducked three points and slapped with 50,000 USD fine  by the CAF Disciplinary Board  for the ill treatment  meted to the Super Eagles  contingent  on their way to the  botched  Matchday Five tie in Benghazi.