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Tag: CAF

CAF Announces Expansion of WAFCON to 16 Teams from 2026

Wale busari02 mins

The Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has approved the expansion of the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) from 12 to 16 teams, starting with the next edition to be staged in Morocco from 17 March-3 April 2026. As the qualification phase for the 2026 edition has already been completed, the Executive Committee has approved the selection mechanism to determine the four additional Teams. Based on the current FIFA Women’s World Rankings, the top four teams from those eliminated in the final qualifying round have been selected to complete the list of participants. The following teams will therefore join the finals of the CAF WAFCON Morocco 2026: Cameroon (66th in the FIFA ranking), Cote d’Ivoire (71), Mali (79) and Egypt (95). They are in addition to the 12 nations already qualified for the tournament: Morocco (host country), Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi, Algeria, Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Cape Verde, South Africa and Senegal. The decision is in line with CAF’s strategic vision to strengthen the competitiveness and development of women’s football on the African continent. This will allow more nations to participate in African women’s football’s flagship competition, contributing to its continued growth and global reach. The CAF WAFCON also serves as the continental qualifier for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 in Brazil.

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CAF Unveils 2025/26 Champions League Group Stage Draw

Wale busari03 mins

Nigeria’s Rivers United and Zambia’s Power Dynamos have been drawn into Group A of the 2025/2026 CAF Champions League, setting up a highly anticipated round of matches, following Monday’s official draw in Johannesburg. The draw, conducted at CAF Broadcast Partner SuperSport’s studios, promises an exciting group stage featuring seven former African champions and the defending titleholders, ensuring intense competition across all groups. Group A will see reigning champions Pyramids FC of Egypt face Moroccan side RS Berkane in a rematch of last season’s CAF Super Cup, which Pyramids won 1–0. Rivers United and Power Dynamos join them, creating a group full of continental pedigree and ambition. Group B is anchored by 12-time winners Al Ahly of Egypt, who will face Tanzania’s Young Africans, Morocco’s AS FAR, and Algeria’s JS Kabylie. In Group C, South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns are paired with Sudan’s Al Hilal, Algeria’s MC Alger, and DR Congo’s St Éloi Lupopo, while Group D features four-time winners Espérance de Tunis alongside Simba SC (Tanzania), Petro de Luanda (Angola), and Stade Malien (Mali). The Group Stage kicks off from November 21–23, 2025, with the first two matchdays played before the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The competition resumes January 23–25, 2026, with the knockout phase starting on March 13, 2026. Prize money for the tournament is set at $4 million for the winners and $2 million for the runners-up. CAF Champions League 2025/2026 Groups Group A: RS Berkane (Morocco), Pyramids FC (Egypt), Rivers United (Nigeria), Power Dynamos (Zambia) Group B: Al Ahly (Egypt), Young Africans (Tanzania), AS FAR (Morocco), JS Kabylie (Algeria) Group C: Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa), Al Hilal (Sudan), MC Alger (Algeria), St Éloi Lupopo (DR Congo) Group D: Espérance de Tunis (Tunisia), Simba SC (Tanzania), Petro de Luanda (Angola), Stade Malien (Mali) CAF Interclub Group Stage Matchdays: MD1: Nov. 21-23, 2025 MD2: Nov. 28-30, 2025 MD3: Jan. 23-25, 2026 MD4: Jan. 30 – Feb. 1, 2026 MD5: Feb. 6-8, 2026 MD6: Feb. 13-15, 2026

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NFF: Monies received from FIFA & CAF are for specific purposes, and audited in every cycle

Wale busari03 mins

The Nigeria Football Federation finds it expedient to reiterate that the monies it receives from world football-governing body, FIFA and the continental governing body, CAF, like other Federations, are usually tied to specific purposes and not gifts to the Federations. The NFF said on Friday that this fresh clarification has become necessary in view of misinformation by some fellows on social media that the Federation ‘collects’ millions of dollars from FIFA on an annual basis, as if such monies were gifts to the Federation. The country’s football-governing body explained that every money received from FIFA or CAF is tied to a specific purpose, and both FIFA and CAF send their auditors to audit the accounts in which the monies are received at the end of every year. The NFF also explained that monies meant for development purposes are usually tied to specific projects and programmes, while the FIFA Forward monies are also properly specified and under strict adherence to financial regulations, compliance, monitoring and auditing at every stage of the project or program. FIFA Forward projects, such as the ongoing NFF/FIFA Players’ Hostel and new training pitches inside the MKO Abiola National Stadium, are subjected to strict controls, monitored and verified at every stage of the work. Every stage is verified, assessed and sanctioned before further monies are released to the FIFA-approved consultants, to whom the monies are paid directly. The Federation called out the mischief of the individual reeling out fictitious figures on social media, saying he would find no reason to seek clout if he has an idea of how much it costs to organize a single match of any of the National Teams. The NFF is a disciplined organization that operates prudent and strict financial protocols that are within global financial best practices. The body has regularly presented its audited account, prepared by our auditors, PriceWaterhouseCoopers (known for its global credibility and integrity) on the floor of the Congress at every Annual General Assembly.

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2026 WAFCON Race: Ihezuo, Okoronkwo Earn Falcons Win Over Bénin’s Amazons

Fola Badmus03 mins

Forwards Chinwendu Ihezuo aand Esther Okoronkwo scored first-half goals to give reigning African champions, Nigeria’s Super Falcons a 2-0 win over their Bénin Republic counterparts in the first leg of their 2026 Women Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixture, first leg in Lome, Togo. ‎ ‎   The Super Falcons started strongly with Rasheedat Ajibade’s 6th minute lob over the Amazons’ goalkeeper Ogoun which was denied by the woodwork, while Folashade Ijamilusi’s strike two minutes later was parried away by Ogoun. ‎ ‎The Beninise couldn’t hold on tight to their low block game plan as Deborah Abiodun weaved open a congested midfield with a pass to Chiwendu Ihezuo who excellently put the ball beyond the reach of the Beninise goalkeeper to give Nigeria the lead in the 23rd minute. ‎   ‎With the Super Falcons enjoying long spells of possession, dominating every department of the game, the Amazons had their first sight of Nigerian goal in the 36th minute when Moumouni connected to a pass on the byline and managed to get past Osinachi Ohale to strike at goal, only to be denied by goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie. ‎ ‎   Deborah Abiodun was, once more, in her elements as she picked out Esther Okoronkwo with a defence-splitting pass, with the latter slotting home to double the lead for Nigeria before the stroke of halftime. The Super Falcons were lucky not to concede in the closing stages of the first half, as Moumouni’s shot against the run of play struck the frame of the post to end the half 2-0 in favour of Nigeria. ‎ ‎   The second half proved tough for both teams following tactical adjustments and a number of substitutions. However, Nigeria soaked the pressure better, containing the pace of the Amazon wingers who stepped up with high intensity in their search for goals. ‎ ‎An in-swinger in the 90th minute unsettled the Nigerian defence, leaving Sadikou with a chance to head into the net but her effort was denied by Nnadozie.‎   ‎The scoreline gives Nigeria the advantage ahead of the return leg billed for the MKO Abiola Sports Complex, Abeokuta on Tuesday. ‎

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2026 WAFCON Race: Super Falcons Seek Comfortable Win over Bénin’s Amazons

Fola Badmus04 mins

The 25,000 -capacity Stade de Kégué in the Togolese capital, Lomè is venue for Friday’s 2026 Women Africa Cup of Nations final qualifying fixture, first leg match between 10-time champions Nigeria and their Bèninoise counterparts, known as Amazons, with the Cup holders seeking a comfortable win that will render the return leg in Nigeria on Tuesday a mere formality.   Head Coach Justine Madugu has a total of 19 players available for the encounter, and has promised his squad will go all out for the goals that will earn it the ticket to a defence of the title won in Morocco this summer. The Kingdom of Morocco will also host next year’s houseparty, where all semi-finalists will collect automatic qualification tickets to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Brazil.   “We have a team that will go out there and make us proud. Yes, we would have loved to have Jennifer (Echegini) but we do not and we can only pray for her to recover quickly.   “On Friday, we will go out and play our game and seek the goals that will put us in a good stead ahead of the return leg.”   With Echegini out, Madugu is likely to opt for US-based impresario Deborah Abiodun to start, alongside captain Rasheedat Ajibade and Christy Ucheibe in the middle, with Chiamaka Nnadozie (one of the best goalkeepers in the world) marshalling a defence-line of Michelle Alozie, Tosin Demehin, Osinachi Ohale and Ashley Plumptre.   In the fore, Madugu has Esther Okoronkwo (doubtless one of Nigeria’s impact players at this year’s Women AFCON), the pushful Chinwendu Ihezuo, six-time Africa Player of the Year Asisat Oshoala, new-face Joy Omewa and China-based Folashade Ijamilusi, who was also a delight as Nigeria won a tenth AFCON title in Morocco this summer.   Gambian official Ngum Fatou will be the referee of the encounter that begins at 3pm Togo time (4pm Nigeria time).   SUPER FALCONS TO FACE AMAZONS:   Goalkeepers: Chiamaka Nnadozie (Brighton Hove & Albion, England); Anderline Mgbechi (Rivers Angels)   Defenders: Osinachi Ohale (Pachucha Club de Futbol, Mexico); Shukurat Oladipo (AS Roma, Italy); Michelle Alozie (Houston Dash, USA); Ashleigh Plumptre (Ittihad Ladies FC, Saudi Arabia); Blessing Ilivieda (Bayelsa Queens); Oluwatosin Demehin (Galatasaray Sportive, Turkey); Miracle Usani (Abia Angels)   Midfielders: Rasheedat Ajibade (Paris Saint Germain, France); Taiwo Afolabi (Rivers Angels); Deborah Abiodun (Washington Spirit, USA); Christy Ucheibe (SL Benfica, Portugal)   Forwards: Chinwendu Ihezuo (Pachucha Club de Futbol, Mexico); Joy Omewa (Fortuna Hjorrin FC, Denmark); Esther Okoronkwo (AFC Toronto, Canada); Asisat Oshoala (Al Hilal FC, Saudi Arabia); Folashade Ijamilusi (Liaoning Shenyang Shenbei Hefeng, China); Kafayat Mafisere (Edo Queens)  

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Osimhen Nominated Again For 2025 CAF Men’s Player Of The Year Award

Wale busari02 mins

Victor Osimhen has been named among the top 10 contenders for the 2025 CAF Men’s Player of the Year award, reaffirming his status as one of Africa’s most outstanding footballers. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced the shortlist on Tuesday, October 22, featuring a mix of familiar names and rising stars across the continent. Osimhen, who won the award in 2023 after an incredible season with Napoli, is once again in the running following another year of strong performances for both club and country. Also on the list are Egypt’s Mohamed Salah, Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, and Senegal’s Pape Matar Sarr, among others. CAF stated that the 2025 award will recognize achievements recorded between January 6 and October 15, 2025. Osimhen’s inclusion highlights his consistency at the top level and his continued impact in European and African football, as he looks to add a second CAF Player of the Year title to his growing list of accolades.

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How Super Eagles Reached 2026 FIFA World Cup CAF Play-off Tourney

Fola Badmus06 mins

The Super Eagles achieved a universal spread of 10 different scorers in their 15-goal haul in Group C of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying series, with only ace forward Victor Osimhen scoring more than once. The lanky marksman netted six times – in the process taking his Nigerian tally to 29 in 44 matches, only eight shy of legendary Rashidi Yekini’s record.   Defender Semi Ajayi, who will now miss the penultimate game of the CAF Play-off in Morocco next month after bagging two yellow cards in the series, scored Nigeria’s first goal in the series – the equalizer against Lesotho’s Crocodiles on Matchday 1 inside Uyo’s Godswill Akpabio Stadium on 16th November 2023.   Considering that Nigeria edged Burkina Faso only on goals’ tally at the end of the campaign to reach the Play-off, it means that Raphael Onyedika’s goal against Bénin Republic in Abidjan on Matchday 4 (even though Nigeria eventually lost 1-2) was as important as Ajayi’s equalizer against the Crocodiles in Uyo, just as Kelechi Iheanacho’s equalizer against Zimbabwe on Matchday 2 in Butare (Rwanda) on 19th November 2023 was as crucial as Calvin Bassey’s leveller against South Africa on Matchday 8 in Bloemfontein on 9th September 2025.   At the end of the qualifying campaign in Group C, the Super Eagles lost only one of its 10 matches, compared to South Africa’s Bafana Bafana that lost two (despite playing seven of its 10 matches on home soil) and Bénin Republic that lost three.   Chadian referee Alhadi Mahamat Allaou took charge of three of Eagles’ matches, viz the home draw with South Africa, the win over Rwanda in Uyo and the win over Lesotho in Polokwane. Gabonese Pierre Atcho took charge of two (the defeat by Bénin Republic in Abidjan on Matchday 4 and the draw with South Africa in Bloemfontein on Matchday 8.   The three-time African champions played all home games at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, and also played in Rwanda’s Stade Huye, Abidjan’s Felix Houphouet-Boigny, Kigali’s Amahoro Stadium and South African venues Free State Stadium (Bloemfontein) and New Peter Mokaba Stadium (Polokwane).   On their way from their Matchday 9 encounter with Lesotho, the team’s chartered ValueJet Airline aircraft suffered a cracked windscreen mid-air, but the professionalism, expertise and diligence of Captain Kamal Marafa saw the airplane safely guided back to the Luanda Airport where it had taken off after a refueling stop.   Now, on to the CAF Play-off Tournament in Morocco next month!     2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Matches: Nigeria’s Group C Campaign Matchday 1: Nigeria 1 (Semi Ajayi, 67) Lesotho 1 (Tabone Mkwanazi, 56) – 16/11/23. Venue: Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo. Referee – Mehrez Malki (Tunisia) Matchday 2: Zimbabwe 1 (Wisdom Musona, 26) Nigeria 1 (Kelechi Iheanacho, 67) – 19/11/23. Venue: Stade Huye, Butare (Rwanda). Referee – Souleiman Ahmed Djama (Djibouti) Matchday 3: Nigeria 1 (Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, 46) South Africa 1 (Mbane Zwane, 29) – 07/06/24. Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo. Referee – Alhadi Mahamat Allaou (Chad) Matchday 4: Benin Republic 2 (Jordan Dossou, 37; Steve Mounié 45+3) Nigeria 1 (Raphael Onyedika, 27) – 10/06/24. Venue: Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny, Abidjan (CIV). Referee – Pierre Atcho (Gabon) Matchday 5: Rwanda 0 Nigeria 2 (Victor Osimhen, 11, 45+3) – 21/03/25. Venue: Amahoro Stadium, Kigali. Referee – Jalal Jayed (Morocco) Matchday 6: Nigeria 1 (Victor Osimhen, 74) Zimbabwe 1 (Robert Chirewa, 90) – 25/03/25. Venue: Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo. Referee – Tsegay Mogos Teklu (Eritrea) Matchday 7: Nigeria 1 (Tolu Arokodare, 51) Rwanda 0 – 06/09/25. Venue: Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo. Referee – Alhadi Mahamat Allaou (Chad) Matchday 8: South Africa 1 (William Troost-Ekong OG, 25) Nigeria 1 (Calvin Bassey, 44) – 09/09/25. Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein. Referee – Pierre Atcho (Gabon) Matchday 9: Lesotho 1 (Leslie Kalake, 83) Nigeria 2 (William Troost-Ekong, 55; Jerome Akor Adams, 80) – 10/10/25. Venue: Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane (South Africa). Referee – Alhadi Mahamat Allaou (Chad) Matchday 10: Nigeria 4 (Victor Osimhen 3, 36, 51; Frank Onyeka 90+1) Benin Republic 0 – 14/10/25. Venue: Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo. Referee – Amin Mohamed Omar (Egypt)

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Motsepe Insists 2025 AFCON Will Proceed In Morocco Despite Nationwide Protests

CAF President Insists 2025 AFCON Will Proceed In Morocco Despite Nationwide Protests

Wale busari02 mins

CAF President Patrice Motsepe has reaffirmed that the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will go ahead in Morocco as planned, dismissing concerns that ongoing anti-government protests could disrupt preparations. For more than a week, thousands of young Moroccans have taken to the streets nightly, calling for an end to corruption, government reforms, and better access to social services like healthcare and education. The demonstrations, now in their ninth day, have highlighted deep public frustration over inequality and living conditions. Speaking during a meeting of African football leaders in Kinshasa, Motsepe said he was certain the tournament would not be affected by the unrest. “We are absolutely confident the AFCON will go ahead as planned. Morocco is plan A, Morocco is plan B, and Morocco is plan C,” he told delegates, including FIFA President Gianni Infantino. He added that the Confederation of African Football would work hand in hand with the Moroccan authorities and citizens to deliver what he described as “the most successful AFCON in history.” The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is slated for December 21 to January 18 across nine Moroccan venues, with 24 teams expected to compete. Star players like Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi are among those set to feature in the tournament.  

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