Morocco Secures the Honor of Hosting the 2025 African Cup of Nations Football Tournament

Morocco Secures the Honor of Hosting the 2025 African Cup of Nations Football Tournament

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially announced Morocco as the host country for the 2025 African Cup of Nations football tournament. This announcement comes as a significant achievement for Morocco, signifying the nation's commitment to football excellence and infrastructure development.

Morocco will replace Guinea as the host, as Guinea was stripped of its hosting rights in October of the previous year due to concerns regarding inadequate infrastructure and sports facilities. The competition for hosting the 2025 tournament also included bids from Zambia and a joint proposal from Nigeria and Benin. However, these nations graciously withdrew their bids to give Morocco the opportunity to showcase its capabilities, with the hope of bolstering Africa's chances of hosting the FIFA World Cup.

In addition to hosting the African Cup of Nations, Morocco is actively pursuing a joint bid with Spain and Portugal to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, demonstrating the country's ambition to be a prominent player on the global football stage.

Patrice Motsepe, the president of CAF and organizer of the tournament, emphasized that the decisions were made based on the quality of infrastructure provided in the proposals, including sports facilities, accommodations, and hospitals. He stated that this choice aimed to unite Africa, foster its growth, and develop the continent's football landscape, despite the withdrawal of other nations.

Motsepe noted, "A substantial amount of money will be allocated to Morocco for organizing the 2025 tournament. However, Morocco's bid is not just for Morocco but for all of Africa."

The selection of the joint bid from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania to host the 2027 tournament is significant, marking the first time countries from the East and Central African Football Associations have hosted the tournament since Ethiopia's hosting in 1976.

Motsepe explained the rationale behind this choice, saying, "These three nations joined forces because our standards and requirements are exceptionally high. The aspirations for hosting these tournaments mirror the ambitions of the European Football Association and the South American Football Confederation."

He continued, "Sometimes it takes hundreds of millions, or even billions, to invest in infrastructure. I take pride in football's ability to unify nations. The 2027 African Cup of Nations will be a resounding success."

Looking ahead, the upcoming tournament will take place in Ivory Coast from January 13 to February 11, 2024, with the draw scheduled for October 12 in Abidjan at 7 PM GMT. The football world eagerly anticipates these tournaments that will showcase Africa's passion for the sport and its commitment to its growth.

Who will host 2027 Afcon?

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is set to be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, following the successful joint bid they secured in September 2023. Scheduled for June-July 2027, this tournament will include 24 teams, marking the inaugural hosting of the AFCON by these three nations.

Which African country will host the next African Cup of Nations 2024?

Ivory Coast is set to host the upcoming African Cup of Nations, scheduled to take place from January 13 to February 11, 2024. Originally, Ivory Coast was designated to host the 2023 AFCON, but it was postponed by six months due to worries about the rainy season in West Africa. The 2024 AFCON will mark the 34th installment of the competition and will comprise 24 participating teams.