Patrice Motsepe, the President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has assured that the challenges faced in Cameroon in 2021 will not be repeated in Ivory Coast in 2023.
He revealed that the 2025 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to take place in Morocco, remains uncertain.
Ivory Coast is set to host the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, beginning on Saturday, January 13, 2024.
Motsepe, speaking at a conference held in Ivory Coast before the commencement of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, expressed satisfaction with the measures taken to ensure a smooth tournament, saying, “I am pleased with the appropriate steps that have been taken to ensure that we completely avoid the painful experience we went through in Cameroon.”
Highlighting the possibility of entirely avoiding the incidents that occurred in Cameroon, Motsepe emphasized that, as the president, he takes responsibility for anything that happens, stating, “As long as I am president, whether I know or don’t know, whether I am informed or not, I must ultimately take responsibility for anything that happens.”
Motsepe continued, “I am convinced that there is a great deal of determination and commitment, and I believe that we are on the right path.”
Regarding the preparations for the 2025 edition, set to be held in Morocco, which conflicts with the new format of the FIFA Club World Cup, Motsepe stated, “We want the Africa Cup of Nations to take place at the right and suitable time for the tournament.”
He added, “We are still in communication with FIFA regarding the dates.”
Morocco Wins Bid to Host 2025 Africa Cup of Nations
Anticipating a Challenge in 2025
The tournament is expected to take place in June and July 2025, where there are no seasonal rains, unlike the situations faced in Cameroon and Ivory Coast.
However, CAF will face an initial challenge not with the continental teams but with FIFA itself.
The reason? The simultaneous hosting of the inaugural edition of the expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
Will European and continental teams release their players for national duty while participating in a tournament under FIFA’s auspices? Perhaps a temporary solution is to postpone the Africa Cup of Nations to January and February 2026.
But another problem will arise – the fixture congestion for international players, especially as in 2026, they will participate in the Africa Cup of Nations, followed by the World Cup qualifiers and the World Cup itself within a span of 7 months.
Before that, the season will start early to finish it in advance, allowing players to train with their national teams, implying a shorter rest period, especially for those involved in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
Africa Cup of Nations – A Burden for All… Organizational Issues Persist Until 2027
A source from CAF responded to FilGoal.com regarding the possible crisis, especially considering it will be a year and a half from now, saying, “There are several proposals to solve the scheduling conflict between the Africa Cup of Nations and the FIFA Club World Cup.”
The proposals revealed are as follows:
1. First Proposal: Hold the tournament in January 2026, but it may have repercussions due to frequent interruptions.
With the FIFA Club World Cup scheduled in the summer in the United States, there is a desire to finish the tournaments early.
Holding the Africa Cup of Nations in January will extend the conclusion of the tournaments.
2. Second Proposal: Postpone the Africa Cup of Nations to January 2027, subsequently delaying the primary 2027 edition planned in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda to 2029, along with the postponement of all the scheduled tournaments.
Motsepe clarified, “CAF will consider this matter after the conclusion of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations.
Continuous meetings will be held with the local federations during the tournament, followed by the final decision.”
