President of Zambia’s soccer governing body Kalusha Bwalya has welcomed government’s decision to bid for hosting the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations finals, the Zambia Daily Mail reports.
On Tuesday, Minister of Sports Chishimba Kambwili said time was ripe for Zambia to bid for the hosting of major international sporting events such as the Nations Cup following the construction of modern stadiums, with the help of the Chinese government.
He said plans were in the pipeline to bid for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
Zambia now has a 40-000 stadium in Ndola city on the Copperbelt Province while a 50,000 capacity stadium is under construction in the capital Lusaka.
“It is a good idea if you look at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola and also the Lusaka Stadium, which is under construction. You can tell that we are moving in a right direction,” Bwalya said.
The 1988 African Footballer of the Year said his association was ready to offer guidance to the government, adding that the bidding for the hosting of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations should be done this year.
“The 2015 Africa Cup will be in Morocco, 2017 is going to Libya and the 2019 is open. It will be good for us to host and I think that we are within the time,” he added.
Zambia has never hosted Africa’s soccer showpiece after failing to stage the event in 1988 and having an unsuccessful bid in 2004.