The next Africa Cup of Nations will be played in Ivory Coast in 2024, and not 2023, Confederation of African Football (Caf) president Patrice Motsepe said on Sunday. Show
The tournament was to be hosted in June-July 2023, which is the height of the rainy season in Ivory Coast. "We cannot take the risk," the South African said in the Moroccan capital Rabat. With the World Cup in Qatar taking place in November and December this year, the decision has been taken to postpone the finals rather than bring them forward. It means the Nations Cup will be held in January and February for the second time in a row, after this year's tournament in Cameroon. In 2017, Caf announced that it would move the finals from their traditional January-February slot to June-July in a bid to avoid repeated disputes with European clubs forced to release players in the middle of the season. "January is not the ideal time because of the European clubs, but it is the only choice we have," Motsepe added. Under former Caf president Issa Hayatou, who was overthrown in 2017, African football's ruling body refused to countenance any possible change of date for the months the continent's flagship sports event is hosted. Yet just four months after taking charge, Hayatou's successor - Ahmad of Madagascar - turned this policy on its head following consultation with the continent's officials. Caf Secretary-General Veron Mosengo-Omba said there are no plans to permanently move the finals back to January-February given the contrasting weather patterns across the continent at different times of the year. When asked why it took Caf so long to make a decision on this matter, given that June and July have been the rainy seasons in Ivory Coast for many years, Motsepe failed to directly address the question - saying the choice had been made 'out of courtesy' with Ivorian organisers. Both Motsepe and Mosengo-Omba were speaking in Morocco, which is hosting the Women's Africa Cup of Nations. African Super LeagueOn the agenda since Fifa President Gianni Infantino hinted at its possibility in 2019, the African Super League will get underway in August 2023. The tournament will feature 24 teams and carry total prize money of $100m, said Motsepe, adding that just over $10m will go to the winner. Citing 'financial challenges' in Caf which he inherited from Ahmad, whom he replaced last year, Motsepe said that businesses are interested in sponsoring the event. "The key issue for us is the abnormal interest we've been exposed to from some of the biggest and most prominent investors and sponsors," he said. Caf also said that the African Champions League, which is open to all countries in Africa, will continue alongside the new African Super League, where the top 24 teams will be determined according to their Fifa ranking. Following huge criticism by beaten finalists Al Ahly following the decision to stage this year's Champions League final in the home stadium of eventual winners Wydad Casablanca, Caf has also announced that the decisive clash will return to being a two-legged format. "I appreciate the huge amount of unhappiness that the president of Al Ahly expressed in relation to the hosting of the African Champions League final here [in Morocco]." After over half a century of staging two-legged finals, Africa's leading club match became a one-off final from 2020-2022. The 2023 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) initially billed to take place in Cote d’ Ivoire from June 2023 has been postponed to January 2024. The decision was one of the key decisions taken during the Confederation of African Football(CA) Executive Committee meeting held on Sunday. CAF through its President, Patrice Motsepe, announced the 34th edition, which was initially scheduled from June 23 to July 23, 2023, will no longer go on as planned due to the weather conditions in the West African country. “The 2023 Afcon will now be played between January and February 2024,” Mostepe told the media during a press conference in Morocco. “This is one of the issues we discussed during our congress meeting here in Morocco and the official dates will be communicated later. “It is after deliberations we came into the decision, we have partners and even though we make decisions, it is out of respect that we take the advice we are getting that we cannot take a risk [to host the tournament] and so that is why we have made the necessary announcement today [Sunday]. “It is not good for African football to play a tournament that can be washed out, it is not good for Africa and the continent at large and so we have to postpone it.” Motsepe, however, lauded Ivory Coast for the preparations they have already put in place to stage the tournament. “I am happy and impressed with the infrastructure put in place by Ivory Coast in readiness for the tournament and I am sure they will host a very good tournament,” Motsepe continued.  The Super Eagles of Nigeria are one of the teams eyeing qualification for the next AFCON tournament and they have started the qualification series quite well; winning their first two games against Sierra Leone and then Sao Tome and Principe.
At the last edition of the biennial football tournament held in Cameroon, the Super Eagles despite showing early signs of promise crashed out in the second round in a 1-0 loss to Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles. Senegal went on to be crowned champions after defeating Egypt on penalties in the final. It is worthy to note that the AFCON tournament held in Cameroon also suffered its own fair share of postponements. However, unlike this case where CAF is making a decision due to weather contingencies, the tournament in Cameroon was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Support PREMIUM TIMES' journalism of integrity and credibilityGood journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government.For continued free access to the best investigative journalism in the country we ask you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all.Donate TEXT AD: Call Willie - +2348098788999 Tunde Eludini is a graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria where he studied International Relations. He is a Senior Correspondent coordinating the sports section for PREMIUM TIMES. Twitter: @tundeyeludini Who will host Afcon 2023?Officials from the Ivory Coast government signed a formal hosting agreement for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with the Confederation of African Football (Caf) on Friday.
When and where is the next Afcon?The next Africa Cup of Nations will be played in Ivory Coast in 2024, and not 2023, Confederation of African Football (Caf) president Patrice Motsepe said on Sunday. The tournament was to be hosted in June-July 2023, which is the height of the rainy season in Ivory Coast.
Will there be an African Cup of Nations in 2023?The 2023 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations has been moved to 2024 over weather concerns. The tournament, set to take place in Ivory Coast, has been rearranged from its original date between June and July 2023 and will instead be played in January and February 2024.
Why is the next Afcon in 2023?The 17th edition of the continental championship, AFCON 2023, was originally scheduled to take place next summer in the Ivory Coast. But heavy floods expected in the west Africa country at that time of year have prompted organisers to move the tournament from June and July 2023 to January and February 2024.
|
