The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will reveal on Wednesday in Cairo the two host countries for the 2025 and 2027 African Cups. Morocco is competing with a joint bid between Nigeria and Benin for the 2025 edition, and with Senegal, Botswana, and a joint bid for Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda for the 2027 edition.
On Wednesday, the Executive Committee of the African Union will hold a meeting in Cairo, followed by a press conference by its South African President, Patrice Motsepe, in which he will announce the identity of the two host countries for the 2025 and 2027 editions.
Last October, the African Union withdrew the organization of the 2025 edition from Guinea due to its delay in completing the facilities to host the tournament. Since then, the African Union has received requests for organization without deciding on the identity of the host country, before Motsepe announced last month that the host country would be revealed on September 27, while confirming that the assignment of organizing the 2027 edition will be decided on the same day.
Algeria's withdrawal
The Algerian Football Federation announced on Tuesday the withdrawal of its nomination files to host the 2025 and 2027 African Cup of Nations, a day before the African Confederation revealed the identity of the two organizing countries, according to what the new federation president, Walid Sadi, said.
Sadi, who assumed his duties on Tuesday, said in a statement to state television, “Today we sent an official letter to the Confederation of African Football announcing the withdrawal of Algeria’s files from organizing the 2025 and 2027 African Cups,” without giving any details about the reasons for this withdrawal.
Algeria was competing with Morocco and a joint bid between Nigeria and Benin for the 2025 edition, and with Senegal and Botswana and a tripartite joint bid for Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda for the 2027 edition.
After unofficial news about Algeria's withdrawal in the past two days, the new president of the Algerian Federation, Walid Sadi, officially confirmed the decision, immediately after assuming his duties to succeed Djahid Zvezif, who resigned.
On Monday, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune received the new president of the federation, according to a presidential statement.
On Wednesday, the Executive Committee of the African Union will hold a meeting in Cairo, followed by a press conference by its South African President, Patrice Motsepe, in which he will announce the identity of the two host countries for the 2025 and 2027 editions.
Last October, the African Union withdrew the organization of the 2025 edition from Guinea due to its delay in completing the facilities to host the tournament.
Morocco and Algeria, in addition to a joint file from Nigeria and Benin, submitted applications to organize the 2025 edition of the largest African national team championship, which will be held with the participation of 24 teams.
Later, sources in the African Union revealed that Algeria will focus its efforts on organizing the 2027 edition, competing with the bids of Senegal and Botswana, and a joint bid for the East African trio of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
There were conflicting reports about the existence of an Egyptian file to run for organizing the 2027 edition, between confirmation by some sources and denial by officials of the Egyptian Federation.
The African Union was scheduled to decide the identity of the two host countries at the beginning of this year, but it postponed its decision more than once before determining it on the 27th of this year.
A senior CAF official told Agence France-Presse that "the two host countries will certainly be named on September 27."
The 24 members of the Executive Committee will vote after studying independent evaluations of each file, but politics and the promise of regional rotation have complicated matters.
Relations between neighboring Morocco and Algeria have been tense for decades due to the dispute over Western Sahara, but they have intensified in the last two years following Algeria’s decision to sever its official relations with Rabat, accusing it of “committing hostile acts... since Algeria’s independence” in 1962. For its part, Morocco expressed its regret. of Algeria's decision and rejected its "false justifications".
The ban on Moroccan aircraft flying over Algeria led to the Atlas Lions withdrawing from the African Cup of Nations for local players at the beginning of this year.
Morocco requested to travel directly to Algeria via local airlines, the official sponsor of the team, but its request was rejected by Algeria, so it withdrew from the tournament, as it was a strong candidate for the third title in a row.
Both countries have wonderful stadiums, infrastructure, and fans who love football, and they are also capable of organizing a continental tournament on a global level.
Ivory Coast will host the 2023 edition, which was postponed from last June and July to next January and February to avoid the rainy season.
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