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CAIRO (Reuters) – African Football Confederation (CAF) President Ahmed Ahmed announced on Monday the announcement of the name of the host country for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. of Cameroon.
Ahmed Ahmed said that the name of the host country of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations would be announced on January 9, confirming that there was no official application for membership after the first day of the year. Home of the Continental Union after the withdrawal of the Continental Union of Cameroon.
At the end of November, the Continental Union withdrew from Cameroon due to delays in the completion of stadium infrastructure and facilities and security-related concerns, with only seven months in advance between June 15 and July 13.
The African Union has reopened its bid to countries wishing to host the tournament. The President confirmed in statements to the Agence France-Presse today that this file would be finalized by the end of the year, and announced at the meeting of 9 January in Paris. Senegal.
Candidate countries
After the deadline of 14 December, Ahmed said: "The last meeting of the Executive Committee will be held on 9 January in Dakar, Senegal and we will announce the decision."
"As far as I know, we have received two or three messages to express our interest," Ahmed said.
Although the press indicates that Morocco and South Africa are the favorites to host the 2019 version, no country has yet announced official candidacy for the tournament, which will participate 24 teams instead of 16.
"I do not know, but there is South Africa that sent a request for attention," he said to the question whether Morocco was the most likely candidate for the meeting.
Ahmed did not want to confirm or deny Congo's progress in Brazzaville's candidacy, as his deputy Constan Omri Soleimani announced on Friday, before denying Ugandan Sports Minister Ug Ngondondela. "I do not want to talk about internal problems in a country, it's a Congolese internal problem," he said.
"You have to go back to the local or the government."
Cameroon in 2021
The relocation of the Continental Union has sparked widespread debate months before the date of the tournament, which will be the next version, the largest in terms of the number of participating teams. Ahmed's previous comments on the host countries of the next three versions cast doubt on the EU's commitment to the commitments already made.
The continental union decided in 2014 under the former president of Cameroon, Issa Hayatou, awarded the 2019 version of Cameroon, 2021 to Côte d 'Ivoire and 2023 to Guinea. However, Ahmed revealed in statements to the network "Media TV" on Monday African, that the 2021 tournament would be awarded to Cameroon instead of Ivory Coast, to host the last tournament 2023 instead of Guinea.
"We will postpone all the African Nations championships (to the organizers) to give Cameroon an additional chance, more time, to be able to carry out the required infrastructure work," said Ahmed. "They will be ready in 2021:
We organize the African Nations Championship in Cameroon. In 2023 we are organizing the tournament in Ivory Coast. This was the decision of the African Union Executive Committee "at its meeting in Accra, capital of Ghana, on November 30th.
In his comments to AFP on Monday, Ahmed confirmed that Cameroon, which had strongly criticized the withdrawal of the 2019 tournament, had "agreed" to host the 2021 version at the Côte d'Ivoire's place. ;Ivory. "I have the message, and I communicate with the presidency on this, we agree on 2021."
Arrangements and important decisions
Asked about the early withdrawal of Cameroon's organization, Ahmed said that the country had experienced problems in recent months. "Regarding the reimbursement of costs, the rain that hindered the implementation of the works, knowing the realities of our continent, we were confident about the progress of the candidates for the" reception "in 2019.
As for Ivory Coast, which was to host the 2021 tournament, Ahmed revealed that he was still waiting for the country to confirm the organization of the 2023. "We are waiting, we did the same thing with Cameroon we have sent a message Prime Minister (Ivorian) and supervisors of the organization of the African Nations Championship, so we will see. "
"They will not be ready for the 2021 version, they can renovate some stadiums but the other five can not be built in. For four star hotels, there are places where there is not even one. Three-star hotels, for roads, airports and hospitals … "He said.
On Guinea, Ahmad ruled the case "non-existent" because the country had asked the organization in 2019 or 2021, noting that the African Union, which he chaired since March 2017, "n & # Has not yet opened the door to the candidacy of African nations 2023 ".
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