Latest news with #Afcon2025
The South African
28-06-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Orlando Pirates player told to thank ancestors and God
They call him the Master Chef. Orlando Pirates will compete in next season's Betway Premiership with Sipho Mbule as one of the new options in central midfield. The 27-year-old from Bethlehem, Free State, was available on a free transfer after Mamelodi Sundowns opted against a contract renewal on his expired deal. According to reports, Mbule lost his place at Sundowns after he had reported for training under the influence of alcohol. His agent, Mike Makaab, soon offered Mbule to Kaizer Chiefs, but Amakhosi seemingly took too long to make a decision. Kaizer Chiefs news: Amakhosi money and another star from Europe Sipho Mbule at Sekhukhune United. Image: SuperSport TV While many were still anticipating Amakhosi's decision, the Buccaneers astounded the nation via X, Facebook and Instagram on Wednesday: 'Orlando Pirates is pleased to welcome Sipho Mbule to the Club,' the short statement ended. Orlando Pirates news: Sipho Mbule and a special meeting According to Khanye, whose playing career was cut short due to the same ill-discipline with alcohol, Mbule should realise he is a lucky man. Khanye feels that the new Orlando Pirates midfielder, given the due commitment and discipline, has the talent to make the Bafana Bafana squad for Afcon 2025. 'Let me be honest, I'm surprised, and he is very lucky,' said Khanye on iDiski TV . 'But he must know one thing, this is a last chance he has now because we have seen players previously at the club who have had the same problems, and they got rid of them. 'Even though fans loved them, the club got rid of them and their careers ended. If you leave Orlando Pirates under such a cloud, it's over. 'Mbule is so lucky, and he must thank his ancestors, God and age for being on his side. He really needs to understand that he is done if anything happens with him at Orlando Pirates. 'I compliment his God-given talent. The boy is one of the best, one of the most talented players, and I cannot wait to see him play with [Patrick] Maswanganyi, Relebohile Mofokeng, [Mohau] Nkota and [Tshegofatso] Mabasa. 'It's his last chance and if he trains properly, get game time he may even go to the AFCON if he gets his act together,' Khanye concluded. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Ya Biladi
04-04-2025
- Business
- Ya Biladi
Morocco kicks off tourism campaign ahead of Afcon 2025
With just a few months to go before the Africa Cup of Nations, the Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT) is ramping up efforts to make Afcon 2025 a strategic lever for international visibility. From April 2 to 6, a large-scale fam trip is being organized in Morocco, bringing together tourism operators from more than a dozen African countries—from Nigeria to Senegal, including Ghana, the DRC, Angola, and Cameroon. The goal: to position Morocco as a destination of choice during the tournament by forging commercial ties among professionals across the continent. Two pan-African workshops will allow African travel agencies and tour operators to meet their Moroccan counterparts, create tailor-made packages for Afcon, and showcase Morocco's national tourism offering. This initiative marks the official launch of ONMT's promotional strategy around the tournament. Beyond sports, the aim is to capitalize on the visibility the event offers to highlight Morocco's diverse landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and high-quality tourism infrastructure. A European roadshow is also planned in countries with large African communities to engage European travel agencies in this momentum. Through this wide-reaching mobilization, the ONMT aims to make CAN 2025 an unprecedented tourism showcase for the Kingdom—blending the passion for football with Morocco's renowned art of hospitality.
BBC News
17-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
What is in store as Africa's 2026 World Cup qualifying resumes?
African qualifiers for the 2026 Fifa World Cup resume this week after a nine-month hiatus - and the stakes are high for some big rounds of the 10-match group campaign remain, and the two fixtures this month will go a long way to deciding the fate of many nine group winners are assured of a place at the finals in Canada, Mexico and the four best second-placed sides will have a chance to earn one final spot via play-offs.A raft of managerial changes have occurred since the last round in June, with Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia among the sides with new what should fans look out for? No room for error Among the heavyweights of the continental game it is Nigeria who have the greatest need for immediate in Group C, and languishing four points behind leaders Rwanda, Eric Chelle assumes an already high-profile role which is amplified by difficult former Mali coach becomes the first non-Nigerian African to take charge of the Super West Africans travel to Kigali before hosting Zimbabwe, and Chelle accepts they are must-win encounters for the three-time African champions."There is pressure in football," he told BBC Sport Africa."I say time is the enemy of the coach. But I'm confident and I believe in my players."Star striker Victor Osimhen says he and his team-mates are "desperate" to make the finals after missing out on the 2022 edition in Qatar. Saintfiet aims to harness Mali talent Another new boss needing positive returns is Tom Saintfiet, who looks to revive Mali's campaign in Group I after succeeding four-point gap to group leaders Comoros can be cut straight away as the Eagles travel to face the islanders."We are not in an easy position but I have a very talented group," Saintfiet told BBC Sport Africa."It's a big luxury to have so many quality players."Mali have never reached the World Cup finals and, after going unbeaten through preliminaries for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), Saintfiet is upbeat about their hopes."After six matches with four wins, two draws, I'm quite positive," the Belgian added."We going to try everything to write history."Elsewhere in Group I, Ghana will look to put their disastrous Afcon 2025 qualifying campaign behind them against Chad and Martins is now in the dugout for the latter, while Rigobert Song faces his first games as Central African Republic boss. Teranga Lions tackle surprise package Sudan Senegal boss Pape Thiaw is another man inheriting a World Cup bid after succeeding Aliou Cisse, to whom he was an assistant, last West Africans ended Afcon 2025 qualifying unbeaten and former striker El Hadji Diouf has been impressed by the smooth transition in the Teranga Lions hotseat."Pape was there when Aliou was here so we [have] good continuity," Diouf told BBC Sport Africa."Senegal is a family and we have a wonderful group. We have to work together and be happy all together."The former continental champions are two points behind surprise Group B leaders Sudan and Thiaw will be without injured Premier League forwards Nicolas Jackson and Iliman Ndiaye for their away game against the Sudanese, which will be played in the neutral Libyan city of Benghazi, and the subsequent home tie against Sudan boss Kwasi Appiah, who has relied on the power of psychology, continue his team's remarkable run amid ongoing conflict in the country? Pharaohs in command Egypt have the healthiest lead of any side, with a four-point cushion at the summit of Group captain Mohamed Salah was rested during the latter stages of the Afcon 2025 qualifying campaign, but the forward will hope to carry his rich vein of form with Liverpool into games against Ethiopia and Sierra will come up against new Leone Stars head coach Mohammed Kallon, and the former Inter Milan and Monaco striker has selected Manchester City's new teenage defender Juma Bah and 40-year-old Kei Kamara in his first Sami Trabelsi is back for a second stint in charge of Tunisia with the Carthage Eagles top of Group H by two continental champions Ivory Coast have a one-point advantage in Group F, while new Kenya coach Benni McCarthy is targeting a first-ever World Cup qualification as he looks to reduce the five-point gap to the Group D, Cameroon are just one point ahead of Cape Verde and Libya, who last week appointed Aliou Cisse as their new Indomitable Lions are looking to add to their eight World Cup things stand, the closest group to call is Group G, where the top five sides are separated by just three Petkovic comfortably guided Algeria to qualification for Afcon 2025 but Les Verts face Mozambique and Botswana, two more teams who will be in Morocco in and Afcon 2027 co-hosts Uganda are also poised to capitalise on any slip ups. Congo suspension throws up questions Africa's top-ranked side Morocco have the only 100% record remaining, but the picture in Group E is withdrew before qualifiers kicked off and last month Congo-Brazzaville were suspended from international football by world governing body Red Devils' ties in March against Tanzania and Zambia have been cancelled, and there is little room to rearrange games in a packed international calendar, even if they somehow succeed in overturning their eyes are now on Fifa and the Confederation of African Football for a decision on how teams finishing second in their group will be ranked heading into potential Congo-Brazzaville drop out as well, then things become even more complicated and every game takes on extra meaning.
BBC News
27-01-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Afcon 2025 groups: Nigeria go face Tunisia, odas for Group C
Nigeria dey for Group C for di 2025 Africa Cup of Nations wey go happun for Morocco later dis year. Nigeria Super Eagles go face Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania. Cameroon dey for Group F and dem go face defending champions Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon and Mozambique. All di 24 teams (kontris) wey qualify for di biggest football tournament don know who dem go face. Morocco go host di 2025 Afcon for di first time since 1988. Di tournament go start from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026. See di full groups below. Di Afcon 2025 Groups Group A: Morocco, Mali, Zambia, Comoros Group B: Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe Group C: Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania Group D: Senegal, DR Congo, Benin Republic, Botswana Group E: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan Group F: Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique How CAF classify di teams See di 24 teams wey qualify for di tournament and di pots wey dem dey ahead of di draws. Pot 1: Morocco (hosts), Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire Pot 2: Cameroon, Mali, Tunisia, South Africa, DR Congo, Burkina Faso Pot 3: Gabon, Angola, Zambia, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea, Benin Pot 4: Mozambique, Comoros, Tanzania, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Botswana African legends Mustapha Hadji, Serge Aurier, Aliou Cisse and Joseph Yobo assist wit di draws. Cote d'Ivoire na di defending champions as dem host di 2023 edition wey happun for early 2024.
BBC News
27-01-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Holders Ivory Coast pit against Cameroon in Afcon 2025 draw
Holders Ivory Coast have drawn Cameroon in the group stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in a glittering ceremony in Rabat, the Elephants were drawn in Group F, where they will also face Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's Gabon and Mozambique. Africa's biggest sporting event will begin on 21 December and run until 18 January 2026. The opening match will pit hosts Morocco against Comoros. Nigeria, who lost to Ivory Coast in the Afcon 2023 final, will play in Group C alongside Tunisia. In the same group, Uganda and Tanzania, two of the co-hosts of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, have been pitted against each other intriguing regional contests, three southern African teams will feature in Group B, with South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe all drawn together along with Mohamed Salah's Egypt. Sudan, who qualified for Afcon 2025 despite the country being engulfed in a civil war, will face Algeria in Group E. Moroccan legend Mustapha Hadji was among the celebrated footballing figures on hand to assist with the him was former Nottingham Forest and Tottenham defender Serge Aurier, twice an Afcon winner with Ivory Coast. Joseph Yobo, captain of Nigeria's Afcon winning team in 2013, was also on hand to pick out the former Afcon-winning coach Aliou Cisse, who led the Teranga Lions to victory in 2021, also assisted, with his nation drawn in Group D alongside DR Congo. The 24 teams have been split into six groups. The winners and runners-up in each group, plus the best four third-placed teams, will reach the knockout phase. Morocco on show Morocco, who will also host this year's Women's Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon), stepped in as Afcon 2025 hosts after Guinea were stripped of the tournament because of concerns about infrastructure and hours before Monday's draw began, the local organising committee announced that Rabat, Casablanca, Agadir, Marrakech, Fes and Tangier will host matches during Afcon 2025 across nine stadiums will be in the capital Rabat, where the final will be played at the Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay are World Cup co-hosts in 2030, along with Spain and Portugal, and plan to build a 115,000-seater stadium on the outskirts of Casablanca by 2027, which they hope could stage the global final. Afcon 2025 group draw in full Group A: Morocco, Mali, Zambia, ComorosGroup B: Egypt, South Africa, Angola, ZimbabweGroup C: Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, TanzaniaGroup D: Senegal, DR Congo, Benin, BotswanaGroup E: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, SudanGroup F: Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique
