In light of the fact that Cameroon will not host the CAN 2017, there is still optimism for their bid to organize the CAN 2019, as confirmed by the African Football Confederation. Cameroon, whose last hosting of the African Cup of Nations dates back to 1972, aims to revive the excitement of the tournament after more than 40 years. Despite their unsuccessful bid for the CAN 2017, Cameroon has applied for the subsequent edition, CAN 2019, and their candidacy has been approved by Caf.
Already, preparations are underway in Cameroon, with plans to initiate repairs and construction of stadiums. The Limbe stadium, the first to be constructed since Paul Biya’s presidency, is set to be inaugurated soon, while work on the Bafoussam stadium is underway. These efforts are crucial as Cameroon seeks to outshine other contenders such as Algeria, Ivory Coast, Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Zambia.
Caf has announced that the final decision on the host countries for the 2019 and 2021 African Cups of Nations will be made during the session of the CAF Executive Committee in September 2014, instead of May 2014. This extension allows each candidate country adequate time for inspection visits by the appointed commission of experts. The composition of this commission will be determined during the forthcoming meeting of the CAF Executive Committee on February 21, 2014, in Cairo, Egypt.
