The Confederation of African Football (CAF) denied, on Wednesday, the statement made by its secretary general on the postponing of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), originally planned for Morocco, to early 2026. In a statement shared to social media, the African football body called Veron Mosengo-Omba's announcement «false». «The CAF Executive Committee will meet to deliberate and take a decision on the dates of CAN 2025», reads the statement. «CAF will then issue an official statement on the subject». Earlier on June 5, Mosengo-Omba told BBC Sport Africa: the African tournament, to be held in Morocco, will be postponed to 2026. In an interview, he attributed the supposed postponement to a «scheduling nightmare» caused by «the timing of FIFA's new 32-team Club World Cup in June and July next year». «We need to choose dates that prioritize the players' interests», Mosengo-Omba emphasized. «This requires balancing various factors and discussions with our partners before finalizing the dates. Scheduling is a challenge for everyone». In the same interview, the CAF official also said that a supposed announcement regarding the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), also slated for Morocco, will be made by the end of this month. He acknowledged a high possibility that the women's tournament might also be postponed to next year. Deciding when to hold the 2024 Wafcon proved «complicated», he explained. While qualifying for the competition concluded in December last year, hosting the event faces a hurdle: «record nine-time winners Nigeria and Zambia will be participating in the Paris Olympics during July and August». «If the WAFCON is postponed or cancelled, it would be a huge disappointment», he admitted, citing the «growth of women's football over the last couple of years», particularly in Africa, «which has really shot through the roof». Article modifié le 05/06/2024 à 19h31
