The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has given Egypt an opportunity to host the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations after Cote d’Ivoire withdrew as hosts of the tournament, AfricaSoccer.com discovers.
The Ivorian Football Federation sent a formal letter of regret owing to government restrictions that did not enable them to host the event, which will take place from April 26 to May 18, 2025.
With only a month left before the tournament begins, CAF has been in a rush to find a new host, since the tournament is also a qualifier for the U-20 FIFA World Cup in Chile this year.
Egypt, with its excellent football infrastructure and experience, both in the past and currently, of hosting large tournaments, has emerged as a strong contender to host it.
The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) recently met with the CAF Secretary General, Veron Mosengo-Omba, in Cairo over the possibility to organising the 24th edition of the U-20 AFCON tournament.
There has been no official confirmation, but sources suggest Egypt is in final-stage talks with CAF and could soon be announced as the new host.
This news puts pressure on CAF to ensure the tournament proceeds as planned.
Should Egypt officially accept the invitation, it would prove its ability to successfully organize top-tier African football events again.
