The next Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled in Cameroon from January 9 to February 6, 2021, has been postponed for one year, announced the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on June 30, 2020. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the qualifiers for the CAN 2021 may not be finished in time and playing in June-July next year is too complicated, especially because of the rainy season. The CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2023 in Côte d’Ivoire, for its part, would not be threatened, despite this postponement.
To almost the end, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) wanted to believe – or wanted to make people believe – in an African Cup of Nations in Cameroon in January-February 2021. But on 30 June 2020, the CAF government brought Cameroonians and African football fans to their senses.
The Executive Committee (ComEx) has decided to postpone the final phase of CAN 2021 until … January 2022. That is, in theory, at the same time as CHAN 2022 in Algeria and nine months before the World Cup in Qatar (21 November-18 December 2022). “The dates of the final phase and the remaining matches of the qualifiers will be communicated in due course,” said CAF.
A virtually inevitable decision that this time has nothing to do with the readiness of the host country. After having had to withdraw from the 2019 CAF Africa Cup of Nations due to delays, Cameroon must this time be patient because of tournament qualifiers that may not be finished in time. Health is the top priority,” said CAF boss Ahmad. The peak of the pandemic has not been reached” on the continent.
Asked, finally, about the next Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to take place in Côte d’Ivoire, Ahmad assured that this CAN would be held well in 2023, despite a World Cup in Qatar organized just before (November/December 2022) and violent rainy seasons in June-July in Côte d’Ivoire. I don’t know when, but there will be an African Cup of Nations in 2023,” said the Malagasy. I don’t like to speculate too much. I like to have all the elements, with my committee. We will see. »