The football world’s eyes are fixed on Cairo as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) prepares to reveal the host nations for the next three editions of the illustrious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament. The highly anticipated announcement follows a pivotal CAF Executive Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 27, 2023.
This unveiling carries significant weight, with anticipation building over nearly a year, stemming from CAF’s decision to withdraw Guinea’s hosting rights for the 2025 finals in October 2022. The decision was primarily due to concerns about Guinea’s readiness to prepare for the 24-team tournament.
In a strategic move, CAF opted to designate hosts for both the 2027 and 2029 finals simultaneously. According to sources within the grapevine, Morocco is poised to be awarded the hosting rights for the 2025 edition, Senegal for 2027, and a joint bid from Nigeria and Benin for the 2029 tournament.
The path to this announcement has been marked by twists and turns, including the reopening of the bidding process for the 2025 finals after Guinea’s withdrawal. Bids for the 2025 finals came in from Algeria, Morocco, Zambia, and a collaborative effort from Benin and Nigeria.
Similarly, for the 2027 AFCON, bids were submitted by Algeria, Botswana, Egypt, and a joint candidacy from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. CAF left no stone unturned in its evaluation process, conducting thorough assessments that included sending inspection teams to all bidding countries and appointing an independent assessor.
Ultimately, the fate of the host nations will be determined by the CAF Executive Committee, a body tasked with making this significant decision. The recent history of AFCON hosting has been marked by various challenges and adjustments, including South Africa stepping in to replace Libya in 2013, concerns about Cameroon’s readiness in 2019 leading to Egypt hosting, and the pandemic-delayed 2021 edition hosted by Cameroon.
The journey to selecting the hosts for the upcoming AFCON tournaments has been filled with intrigue, but the footballing world is now on the edge of their seats, awaiting the official announcement that will set the stage for the next chapter of African football excellence.
