SA submits Afcon bid

Decision on new hosts to be made on January 9

Paris – SA could step in as hosts of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), according to Ahmad Ahmad, the president of Confederation of African Football (CAF).

CAF has been studying alternative solutions for the staging of the June 15 to July 13 event after Cameroon were withdrawn as hosts due to delays with preparations and security concerns. A final decision on who will host the football showpiece will be announced on January 9, Ahmad said.

Naming SA as having filed a letter of intent, the Madagascan said for now “two or three” candidates had shown an interest in taking over from Cameroon. “According to my information, two or three letters of intent have arrived,” the CAF president said. “South Africa is one of the countries to have sent a letter of intention. Two or three countries have made serious inquiries.”

The decision to ditch Cameroon has created a confusing merry-go-round. Ahmad said last week the west African country will now host the 2021 edition, originally given to Ivory Coast, who will now host the tournament in 2023.

The hosts for 2019, meanwhile, will be chosen from a short list whose submission deadline is on Friday. “Everything will be finalised by December 25 to create a short list of candidates who have been evaluated and noted. The executive committee [of the CAF] will meet in Dakar on January 9, when we will make a decision.”

In 2014, then CAF president Issa Hayatou of Cameroon announced the hosts of three successive editions of the biennial tournament: Cameroon (2019), Ivory Coast (2021) and Guinea (2023). Amid confusion over how next month’s decision could affect who will host subsequent editions, Ahmad told African television channel Media TV last week that Cameroon would host the tournament in 2021, while Ivory Coast would organise the 2023 edition.

“In 2021, they will be ready. We will organise the CAN [Cup of African Nations] in Cameroon. And in 2023 it will be held in Ivory Coast.” – AFP