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The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is looking for new hosts after its executive committee voted unanimously Friday, November 30, 2018 to withdraw the organization of the event in Cameroon. Congo denies the information of its candidacy to host CAN 2019.
On Friday, November 7, 2018, Constant Omari, who is also the vice-president of CAF, told on Radio France International (RFI) that the “Congo Brazzaville wrote to organize” the CAN 2019. The Minister of Sports of Congo Brazzaville Hugues Ngouélondélé has stepped up to the plate and has indicated that his country is not a candidate for Cameroon to host the African Cup of Nations next year. “It’s quite the opposite, Congo-Brazzaville will not be a candidate, it will not be possible,” Ngouélondélé told RFI this Saturday, December 8, 2018.
According to the Minister of Sports, the time remaining before the organization of CAN 2019 is not favorable for his country.
“We are six months away from organizing the African Cup of Nations and we will not be able to organize it with honor and dignity,”
added Ngouélondélé.
“Maybe the idea has circulated, but in the face of reality, we can not organize a big party like this. We do not have the structures for now “,
he continues.
If his country is not in the running to organize CAN 2019, it does not rule out the possibility for future years. “One day, we may be candidates, but for now, this is not on our government’s agenda.”
“Officially, no application form has been filed with Caf,” he concluded.
Egypt, which last hosted an African Cup of Nations in 2006, when the Pharaohs won the trophy is not so much a candidate. The Egyptian Football Federation (EFA) announces that it is excluding itself from the bid process to organize the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. “After an EFA meeting on Tuesday, we decided not to apply for the next CAN “, said Ahmed Megahed, EFA board member and spokesperson.
She maintains that she “will not compete with another Arab country”. “We will not compete with another Arab country, it’s an official decision,” Megahed told local media in front of the EPT headquarters in Cairo.
According to the BBC Sport, Morocco and South Africa have applied as host countries. Morocco is widely considered the favorite to face the tournament that was withdrawn in Cameroon due to delays in preparations and security problems, according to observers of the football thing.
CAF has launched a call for applications for new applications for the host country to ensure Afcon 2019 is next summer and that a new host country is selected by 31 December 2018.
The decision to strip Cameroon of its rights of reception in 2019 has an impact on the next editions of the Africa Cup of Nations. On Monday, President Ahmad Caf suggested that Cameroon could host the 2021 edition, which was originally given to Côte d’Ivoire which in turn would replace Guinea as the host country of 2023.
