Algeria heads 2027 Africa Cup of Nations bids

Article posted by Coliseum, May 5^th, 2023

Image: Stade du 5 Juillet, Billal Haddadi, CC BY-SA 4.0

Algeria head a list of four bids to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced recently, but Morocco are a surprise omission suggesting a compromise over the 2025 edition has been struck.

‘Reuters’ stated that a statement said the CAF had received bids from Algeria, Botswana, Egypt and a joint candidacy from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda for the 2027 tournament after the expiry of the deadline for declarations of interest.

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, known short as the 2027 AFCON or CAN 2027, is scheduled to be the 36^th edition of the biennial African international association football tournament organized by the CAF.

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The Africa Cup of Nations referred to as AFCON, and sometimes as African Cup of Nations, is the main international men’s association football competition in Africa. It is sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), and was first held in 1957.

The 6^th of October City (Egypt)-based the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is the administrative and controlling body for association football, beach soccer, and futsal in Africa.

‘Reuters’ further stated that the CAF have repeatedly delayed deciding who will replace Guinea as the 2025 hosts. They were stripped last year of the hosting rights after being found to be too far behind in building infrastructure for the event.

Algeria and Morocco are the top two contenders for 2025 but choosing between the two neighbors has become a political dilemma for the CAF.

But with Algeria now emerging as a candidate for the 2027 tournament as well, the way is clear for Morocco to be handed the hosting of the 2025 finals and then Algeria the tournament two years thereafter.

The two North African neighbors have an adversarial relationship, with diplomatic ties suspended, and winning the rights to host the 2025 Cup of Nations would be a matter of national pride and a public relations triumph.

Morocco have emerged as a powerful political force behind the scenes in African football over recent years and hosted several continental championships when other countries have been unwilling to do so, like last year’s Women’s Cup of Nations.

The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, also called the TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship reasons and abbreviated to WAFCON, is an international women’s football competition held every two years and sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

Algeria, not wishing to be outdone, built an impressive new stadium in the capital Algiers for this January’s hosting of the African Nation Championship, the tournament for national teams made up of only home-based players.

But the tournament was spoilt when Morocco boycotted it after being refused permission to fly their team into Algeria, who has had a flight ban on Moroccan aircrafts since 2021.

The African Nations Championship, known for sponsorship purposes as the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship and commonly abbreviated as CHAN, is a biennial African association football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) since 2009 and first announced on September 11^th, 2007.

The 2023 Cup of Nations finals is to be played in the Ivory Coast but have been moved to January next year because of fears the rainy season will impact the tournament.

The four bids for 2027 would be subjected to an inspection in June and July, but the CAF said a date for the decision on the hosts, traditionally made by its Executive Committee, was still to be determined.

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