CAF Postpones 2023 Africa Cup Of Nations Tournament
CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe announced late on Sunday that the Executive Committee has decided that the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire will be postponed to the months of January and February of 2024.
Initially scheduled from June 23rd – 23rd July 2023, Dr Motsepe said the postponement is as a direct and sole result of the adverse weather conditions in Côte d’Ivoire, and after also having received further technical opinion from experts on the adverse effects of staging the matches in that period.
June and July are rainy seasons in Côte d’Ivoire.
“The 2023 Afcon will now be played between January and February 2024,” Mostepe told the media during a press conference in Morocco. “This is one of the issues we discussed during our congress meeting here in Morocco and the official dates will be communicated later.”
“It is after deliberations we came into the decision, we have partners and even though we make decisions, it is out of respect that we take the advice we are getting that we cannot take a risk (to host the tournament).”
“And so that is why we have made the necessary announcement . It is not good for African football to play a tournament that can be washed out, it is not good for Africa and the continent at large and so we have to postpone it.”
The Super Eagles of Nigeria are one of the teams eyeing qualification for the next AFCON tournament.
They have won their first two games, beating Sierra Leone and recording their biggest win in history against Sao Tome and Principe.
CN/CAF.
