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1, September 2018
Hosting of Africa Cup of Nations 2019: Going, Going, Gone 0
The head of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has questioned whether Cameroon is ready to host Africa’s biggest football event next year. Ahmad Ahmad has questioned Cameroon’s ability to host in 2019.
Ahmad Ahmad also opened the door of speculations that the location of the Africa Cup of Nations might be changed. “I am not sure Cameroon is ready to host the AFCON,” Ahmad told KweséESPN on Monday, August 27.
He added that “there are many things which are still wanting and yet there is little time left.” In 2017, Ahmad had asked the African country to make more efforts to convince the confederation that they were able to host CAN 2019.
Ahmad also said CAF now sends experts to inspect the host country selected as the host of the competition. CAF’s experts were sent in August 2017, but it is unclear what their decision has been.
The experts, however, do not seem to be satisfied with what Cameroon has offered so far. “It would be dangerous to risk African players, especially the professionals plying their trade in Europe and other continents, to play under difficult conditions and facilities,” Ahmad said in his recent statement to KweséESPN.
There were speculations that Morocco was interested in hosting the tournament. Head of Morocco’s Royal Football Federation (FRMF) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports both denied the rumors, emphasizing that Cameroon would host the tournament, and Morocco had not thought about replacing it.
The CAF president also said in an interview with Cameroon outlet Camfoot published August 9 that the competition “will be held in Cameroon … until proven otherwise.”
CAN 2019 will boast the participation of 24 national teams, up from the usual 16. For the qualifier games, Morocco will play against Malawi September 8 in Casablanca, Comoros on October 10, and Cameroon on November 17.
Despite its difficulties preparing for the continental tournament, Cameroonian presidential candidate Joshua Osih wants his country to present its candidature as a potential host for the 2030 World Cup.
Source: Morocco World News