Nigeria loses out to host 2025 & 2027 AFCON….Morocco wins right to host tournament

Morocco has been announced as the host of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), while a joint bid from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda has been selected for the 2027 tournament.

Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe announced the news following an Executive Committee meeting in Cairo.

The CAF needed a new host for 2025 after Guinea was stripped of the rights in October last year due to fears about the readiness of facilities.

No vote was required as a joint bid from Nigeria and Benin, as well as candidacies from Algeria and Zambia, were all withdrawn leaving Morocco as the only contender.

It means the North African country is on track to stage the tournament for the second time after first doing so in 1988.

Morocco has unsuccessfully bid for the FIFA World Cup five times and is part of a three-way effort for the 2030 event alongside Spain and Portugal.

Landing the AFCON will be seen as a boost to that candidacy, with Motsepe saying the other countries in the frame for 2025 largely withdrew in support of the World Cup ambitions and “African unity”.

However, newly elected Algerian Football Federation President Walid Sadi pulled his country out during a televised address, saying the move was motivated by a “new approach to the football development strategy in Algeria”.

Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda were awarded the 2027 tournament ©Getty Images
Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda were awarded the 2027 tournament ©Getty Images
Algeria and Morocco, who are neighbours, have endured an increasingly strained relationship which has seen diplomatic relations break down.

The Moroccan success came after the country was struck by a devastating earthquake in the Marrakesh–Safi region earlier this month, which left nearly 3,000 people dead.

At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Morocco were the tournament’s surprise package and made a sensational run to the semi-finals.

They knocked out both Spain and Portugal – their World Cup co-bidders – before defeat to France in the semi-finals.

Morocco, who also beat Belgium in the group stage, then lost to Croatia in the third-place play-off to finish fourth.

Motsepe said there was “very enthusiastic discussion and debate” about the destination of the 2027 AFCON.

Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda saw off Botswana, Egypt and Senegal with the tournament now set to return to East Africa for the first time since 1976 when it took place in Ethiopia.

None of the three countries have hosted the AFCON before.

Algeria had also pulled out of the running for 2027.

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