Ivory Coast, having clinched the African Cup of Nations (CAN) title for the third time, faces the possibility of not holding onto the trophy beyond one year.
Anticipation is building for the next edition of the African Cup of Nations (CAN), scheduled to commence early next year. However, attention is already shifting towards CAN 2025, with Morocco selected as the host country. Concerns are emerging about the West African neighbor’s readiness to host the event in less than a year, raising questions about the competition’s scheduling and venue, along with the reasons behind the skepticism surrounding its organization next year.
A rift has surfaced between the Confederation of African Football (CAF) President, Patrice Motsepe, and his Vice-President, Fawzi Lekjaâ, over this issue. Displeased with the conduct of certain Moroccan officials within the organization, CAF has imposed sanctions on Morocco to assert its authority. Among these actions, CAF decided to replace referee Redouane Jiyed, the Moroccan representative at the last CAN, who was initially appointed to officiate the 5th day match of the CAF Champions League between Etoile du Sahel and Espérance de Tunis, scheduled for February 24, 2024, at 8 PM.
CAF Takes Action with the FRMF
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has taken strong measures to assert control and maintain the integrity of its competitions, especially in managing incidents involving referees. The case with referee Redouane Jiyed, who refused to officiate the “Petite finale” of CAN-2023, aiming instead for the “Grand finale,” stands out. CAF had to act swiftly, replacing Jiyed with Bamlak Tessema at the last minute, highlighting its commitment to uphold integrity and neutrality in refereeing, including for Moroccan referees.
This incident underscores CAF’s readiness to address any behavior that could jeopardize the smooth conduct of its matches. Moreover, Fawzi Lekjaâ, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), has tried to influence the scheduling of CAN-2025 to his preference, adding a layer of uncertainty to the organization of the 35th edition next year. This period of uncertainty has led some to speculate about a possible cancellation of the event for obvious reasons, reflecting the challenges and tensions in preparing for this significant African football milestone.
AFCON 2025 Date Issue
The summer of 2025 poses a significant challenge in sports planning, mainly due to the overlap between the new edition of the FIFA Club World Cup and the African Cup of Nations (CAN). The revised Club World Cup is scheduled to take place in the United States from June 15 to July 13, 2025, directly conflicting with the planned dates for the CAN, traditionally held in the summer.
At a press conference in Abidjan, Patrice Motsepe, president of the CAF, mentioned the possibility of postponing the CAN to avoid this scheduling conflict, indicating that the CAF is open to adjustments. Initially, Guinea was selected to host CAN 2025 but lost its hosting rights due to insufficient infrastructure and facilities. Morocco, with its proposed sites in Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca, Agadir, Marrakech, and Fès, was chosen as the new host country.
The tournament is supposed to take place in June and July, but there is uncertainty about holding the competition on these dates, due to CAF’s opposition to bending to the demands of the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) regarding the schedule. This situation highlights the challenges of international coordination of major sports events and the importance of flexibility in planning to accommodate such overlaps.
Leave a Reply