{"id":103567,"date":"2023-09-26T21:28:45","date_gmt":"2023-09-26T21:28:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/09\/26\/afcon-2025-and-2027-hosts-to-be-announced-as-algeria-withdraws\/"},"modified":"2023-09-26T21:28:45","modified_gmt":"2023-09-26T21:28:45","slug":"afcon-2025-and-2027-hosts-to-be-announced-as-algeria-withdraws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/09\/26\/afcon-2025-and-2027-hosts-to-be-announced-as-algeria-withdraws\/","title":{"rendered":"Afcon 2025 and 2027 hosts to be announced as Algeria withdraws"},"content":{"rendered":"

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AFCON trophy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Algeria has withdrawn from the race to host the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on the eve of the vote which will decide which countries are awarded the tournament in 2025 and 2027.<\/p>\n

The vote by AFCON organisers, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) will resolve a much-delayed decision over who will replace Guinea as 2025 hosts.<\/p>\n

The country was\u00a0stripped off the tournament in October last year\u00a0due to concerns about infrastructure and facilities.<\/p>\n

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Morocco is expected to be named as Guinea\u2019s replacement, with current title holders Senegal favourites to be awarded the 2027 edition.<\/p>\n

Algeria\u2019s last-minute AFCON decision<\/h3>\n

Algeria had been in the running for both the 2025 and 2027 events, but newly-elected President of the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) Walid Sadi used an appearance on state TV on Tuesday to announce the country\u2019s withdrawal from the bidding process, stating the move was motivated by a \u201cnew approach to the football development strategy in Algeria\u201d.<\/p>\n

The FAF has also said it now plans to \u201cfocus its efforts on the reorganisation and revitalisation of football in Algeria\u201d.<\/p>\n

That leaves Morocco, Zambia and a joint Nigeria-Benin bid as the remaining candidates for 2025.<\/p>\n

Senegal, Egypt, Botswana and a combined East African bid from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are in the running for 2027.<\/p>\n

The bids from both Algeria and Morocco have been complicated by the adversarial political relationship between the two countries, which led to\u00a0diplomatic ties being severed in 2021.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, defending champions\u00a0Morocco withdrew from the African Nations Championship (CHAN)\u00a0in Algeria after being refused a direct flight by the host nation.<\/p>\n

At the time, CAF President, Patrice Motsepe said: \u201cWe must not get involved in what is happening between Algeria and Morocco. CAF should never intervene in politics\u201d.<\/p>\n

Both countries has superb stadia and infrastructure, a football-loving population and are capable of delivering world-class football tournaments.<\/p>\n

Members of CAF\u2019s executive committee will cast their votes on Wednesday having studied independent appraisals of each bidder.<\/p>\n

Difficulties in regional rotation<\/h3>\n

While Motsepe has previously praised the organisational abilities of both Morocco and Algeria, comments made during this year\u2019s CHAN could also have influenced Algeria\u2019s decision to withdraw.<\/p>\n

The CAF President outlined a vision for regional rotation of AFCON, saying \u201cWe cannot assign the organisation successively to the same region\u201d.<\/p>\n

However, several months later, CAF Secretary General, Veron Mosengo-Omba said such rotation may not always be possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, only five or six countries out of the 54 CAF members are able to apply to host (AFCON). Consequently, it will not be possible to make this alternation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Wednesday\u2019s vote will reveal whether or not CAF intends to attempt a policy of regional rotation or whether the trend of recent dominance by North and West African nations will continue when it comes to hosting.<\/p>\n

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