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Senegal won the 2021 Afcon held in Cameroon in January and February 2022.
The dates for the 2025 African Cup of Nations (Afcon) remain undecided due to potential conflicts with the FIFA Club World Cup, according to Confederation of African Football (Caf) president Patrice Motsepe.
The 2021 final in Cameroon and the 2023 edition of Afcon, which starts on Saturday in Ivory Coast, have been rescheduled to January and February.
Cuff promised in 2017 that the club would return to hosting tournaments in mid-year to avoid conflicts with European clubs over the release of players mid-season.
However, the Club World Cup, which FIFA has expanded to 32 teams, is scheduled to be held in the United States in June and July 2025, potentially clashing with that year’s Afcon hosted by Morocco.
“We want the Nations Cup to be held at the most advantageous and convenient time for the competition,” Motsepe said.
“We are still discussing the dates with FIFA.”
The 2021 final in Cameroon was scheduled for early in the year to avoid the country’s rainy season, but was postponed by 12 months to 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Ta.
The 2023 tournament was similarly modified to take into account Ivory Coast’s weather.
Two African teams, Egypt’s Al Ahly and Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca, have already qualified for the expanded Club World Cup. The national teams of both countries traditionally call up players from these clubs.
2023 host city Ivory Coast is on track
Speaking in Abidjan on Friday, Motsepe also insisted that he was confident that the kind of tragedy that marred the previous edition in Cameroon would not be repeated at this year’s Afcon.
This includes the construction of the 60,000-seat Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium in the northern suburbs of Abidjan, which will host Saturday’s opening match and the final on February 11.
Approximately 17,000 police and soldiers will be deployed to ensure safety during the month-long Games.
“We are satisfied that the appropriate steps were taken to completely avoid the painful experience we had in Cameroon,” Motsepe added.
“The accident in Cameroon was completely avoidable.
“As long as I am president, I ultimately have to take responsibility for whatever happens, whether I know it or not, whether I am aware of it or not.
“I am satisfied that there is a huge amount of determination and dedication and I think we are on the right path.”
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