The Confederation
of African Football has agreed in principle for the 2025 Cup of Nations to be
played in July and August next year in Morocco, a CAF official told AFP on
Tuesday.
Earlier this month, CAF president Patrice Motsepe refused to
confirm the dates of the next Africa Cup of Nations, with organisers left with
little time to stage a qualifying competition that is to be held in January and
February.
However, playing it in June and July next year would mean a
clash with FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup which is due to take place in North
America.
On Monday a member of the competitions
committee told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity, that there was “an
agreement in principle between CAF and the Moroccan Football Federation for the
AFCON to be held during the summer, more precisely in July and August” 2025.
“This agreement was found with the support of
FIFA after talks that began several months ago and which intensified during the
last edition which finished this month in Ivory Coast,” the source added.
“The dates
currently proposed are July 20-August 16 or 17, 2025.”
The last two Africa Cup of Nations were both pushed back from
the original dates. The 2021 tournament, hosted by Cameroon, was played in
January and February of 2022. The most recent edition had initially been
planned for June and July last year but was rescheduled over weather concerns.
Qualifying
for the 2025 AFCON has yet to start. A preliminary round is due to be played
next month.
AFP
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