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Nigeria loses as Morocco, Kenya, Uganda win 2025, 2027 AFCON hosting rights

Morocco was on Wednesday awarded the hosting of the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), replacing Guinea who were stripped of the right to host the tournament in 2022.

Nigeria also lost the joint bid with Benin Republic to host the tournament in 2027 as the rights were handed to a co-bid from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Morocco won by default after Algeria and Zambia withdrew before the vote of the Confederation of African Football’s executive committee in Cairo on Wednesday, September 27, 2023.

The North African country was a runaway favourite and will see the decision as a boost to their hopes of co-hosting the 2030 World Cup with Portugal and Spain.

READ ALSO: CAF withdraws 2025 AFCON hosting rights from Guinea

It is only the second time that Morocco will host Africa’s most popular sporting event, almost four decades after the previous time in 1988.

The joint East African bid for 2027 returns the finals to the region for the first time since 1976.

They beat Botswana, Egypt, and Senegal in a vote of the CAF executive committee.

Algeria was also a candidate but withdrew on Tuesday.

The 2023 AFCON has already been scheduled to hold in Cote d’Ivoire.

The Star

Segun Ojo

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