Mission accomplished for Ahmad Ahmad. After successfully awarding the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations to Cameroon and reaching an agreement with Guinea to host the 2025 edition instead of 2023, the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has now secured Côte d’Ivoire’s approval to postpone its own Africa Cup of Nations by two years. This latest diplomatic breakthrough further reshapes the AFCON calendar and confirms CAF’s desire to stabilize the competition’s organization in the years to come.
The CAF president traveled to Abidjan on Monday as part of a crucial mission aimed at easing tensions and finalizing agreements with key stakeholders. On Tuesday, Ahmad Ahmad was received by Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara. Following their meeting, the Malagasy leader officially announced that Côte d’Ivoire had agreed to delay hosting the Africa Cup of Nations, originally scheduled for 2021. The tournament will now take place in the country in 2023, giving the Elephants’ nation additional time to complete its preparations.
According to Ahmad, Côte d’Ivoire’s decision was motivated by a sense of “solidarity” toward Cameroon. The Central African nation had invested heavily in infrastructure projects, including stadiums, training facilities and transport networks, after being awarded the hosting rights for the 2019 AFCON. However, delays in the completion of these projects led CAF to strip Cameroon of the 2019 edition, which was ultimately reassigned to Egypt. Rather than losing its efforts entirely, Cameroon was later awarded the organization of the 2021 tournament.
In this context, CAF sought a balanced solution that would allow all parties to move forward without major conflict. Côte d’Ivoire, which had initially been designated to host the 2021 AFCON, agreed to step aside and accept a postponement of its hosting duties. This compromise not only allows Cameroon to host in 2021 but also provides Côte d’Ivoire with two additional years to finalize its infrastructure and organizational plans under better conditions.
Another key consequence of this agreement concerns the legal dispute involving the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF). The federation had previously filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), challenging CAF’s decisions regarding the AFCON hosting schedule. As part of the newly reached agreement, the FIF has committed to withdrawing its appeal, thereby putting an end to a potentially lengthy and destabilizing legal battle.
For CAF, this outcome represents a significant victory. By securing the cooperation of Cameroon, Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire, Ahmad Ahmad has managed to defuse a complex situation that threatened to damage the credibility and smooth running of African football’s flagship competition. The revised schedule now offers a clearer roadmap for future AFCON tournaments, while giving host nations more realistic timelines to meet CAF’s standards.
For Côte d’Ivoire, although the postponement may initially appear as a setback, it ultimately offers an opportunity. With more time to prepare, the country can aim to host a well-organized and memorable tournament in 2023, showcasing its footballing passion and growing infrastructure.
As the saying goes, all’s well that ends well. Through negotiation and compromise, CAF has managed to turn a potentially divisive issue into a solution that satisfies all parties involved.
