In a significant turn of events, Morocco has emerged as the host nation for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). This decision came about after Guinea was stripped of its hosting rights for the tournament.
The North African country was granted the privilege of hosting AFCON 2025 during a meeting of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) executive committee in Cairo on Wednesday.
This outcome followed the withdrawal of bids from Algeria, Zambia, and a joint effort by Benin and Nigeria, leaving Morocco as the default winner. This victory not only secures Morocco’s role as the host for AFCON 2025 but also bolsters its aspirations of co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup in collaboration with Portugal and Spain.
CAF released a statement, saying, “Morocco will host the 35th edition of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025, the Executive Committee has announced. The decision was taken during the meeting of the CAF Executive Committee on Wednesday. Morocco will be hosting Africa’s flagship event for the second time, 35 years after the North African country staged the competition in 1988”.
In another exciting development, the 2027 AFCON will find its home in East Africa, as a joint bid from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania emerged victorious. The East African trio outperformed competition from Botswana, Egypt, and Senegal in a vote by the CAF executive committee to secure the hosting rights.
These decisions not only bring the prestigious AFCON tournament to these nations but also provide an opportunity for the African continent to showcase its rich footballing culture and talent on a global stage.
Nigeria Loses Bid to Host AFCON 2027
Nigeria’s hopes of hosting the 2027 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) have been dashed as Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania secured the joint bid to host the prestigious tournament.
The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, along with representatives from the Nigeria Football Federation, arrived in Egypt earlier this week to present Nigeria’s joint bid with Benin Republic to host AFCON 2027. However, the decision to award the hosting rights to the three East African countries was made by CAF’s Executive Council members in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday.
This marks the first time that Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania will have the opportunity to host the Africa Cup of Nations.
Nigeria previously hosted AFCON in 1980 and emerged as champions by defeating Algeria 3-0 in the final. Two decades later, Nigeria co-hosted the 2000 edition with Ghana and reached the final but lost to Cameroon in a penalty shootout.
In a related development, the CAF Executive Council members also announced that Morocco will host the 2025 edition of AFCON. This marks the second time Morocco has been chosen as the host, with their first hosting experience taking place in 1988.
Additionally, the 2023 AFCON will be held in Côte d’Ivoire in 2024. This will be the second time that Côte d’Ivoire has hosted the tournament, with their previous hosting experience dating back to 1984.
While Nigeria’s bid was not successful this time, the allocation of AFCON hosting rights provides an opportunity for various African nations to showcase their passion for football and contribute to the development of the sport on the continent.
