Can Algeria host CAN 2025?

Algeria is a candidate to host CAN 2025, the organization of which has been withdrawn from Guinea. Morocco could play spoilsport.

After the Confederation of African Football (CAF) decided to withdraw the organization of the 2025 African Cup of Nations from Guinea, Patrice Motsepe and the leaders of the body are now looking for a new host country. Conakry still rails against CAF, believing that it was the victim of an unfair decision when Mamadi Doumbouya, the president of the transition, had made this competition "a national priority". But the South African president of the football authorities had already made up its mind several weeks ago. Officially because Guinea is late in launching infrastructure projects.

Behind the scenes, Motsepe had already warned other national federations. Especially that of Algeria. The CAF boss has indeed asked Algiers to get on the starting blocks and apply to become the organizer of the CAN. Algeria therefore officially applied on October 6, hoping to host Africa's flagship competition two years after the African Nations Championship (CHAN), which will take place in Algeria in a few months. There is no doubt that, given the discussions between Patrice Motsepe and the Algerian Minister of Youth and Sports Abderrazak Sebgag, Algiers has a good chance of seeing its candidacy succeed.

CAF takes the time to reflect

But CAF will take – and this is rather surprising, as time is running out – its time. The body is only at the beginning of its reflection, warned Véron Mosengo-Omba, secretary general of the body, interviewed by Jeune Afrique. "We will very quickly define a process and set a deadline for submitting applications, then another to announce the name of the country that will host the tournament," he says. Everything should be decided at the end of 2022 or the beginning of 2023”.

In the event of CAN 2025 in Algeria, we will therefore only know at the time of the CHAN. But Algiers holds the rope, since the country has infrastructure and above all a certain experience in this area, after having hosted the Mediterranean Games in Oran last summer. Several enclosures have been renovated throughout the country and the stadiums are therefore able to host CHAN and CAN matches.

But with each change or threat of change of host country, Morocco also always makes an appearance. The kingdom could, after eyeing the Cameroonian CAN, also announce its candidacy. And it is clear that if this is the case, the battle between Algiers and Rabat will be tough. Since refusing to host CAN 2015 because of Ebola, Morocco has been trying to bring CAN back home. Without success.

Finally, other countries are also in the reflection phase to position themselves. Among them, South Africa, the only country to have hosted a World Cup and especially the country of the president of CAF, but also Nigeria. A consortium of countries could also be chosen. CAF gives itself time for reflection because, beyond football, the organization of the CAN represents an important political act.