The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reportedly reached an initial agreement to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco during the months of July and August.
According to a CAF official who spoke on condition of anonymity, discussions with the Moroccan Football Federation have led to this preliminary agreement, pending final confirmation.
The decision to consider July and August as the potential months for AFCON 2025 comes amid challenges in scheduling the tournament.
Earlier, CAF President Patrice Motsepe refrained from confirming the dates, stating the difficulty in organizing a qualifying competition if the tournament were to be held in January and February. Moreover, scheduling AFCON during June and July next year could clash with FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup, slated to be held in North America.
The tentative agreement between CAF and the Moroccan Football Federation received support from FIFA and evolved through discussions that intensified during the last edition of AFCON, which concluded recently in Ivory Coast.
As per the anonymous source, the proposed dates for AFCON 2025 are set between July 20 and August 16 or 17.
It’s noteworthy that the previous two editions of AFCON experienced schedule adjustments. The 2021 tournament initially planned by Cameroon was eventually played in January and February of 2022.
Similarly, the most recent edition, which was initially scheduled for June and July last year, was rescheduled due to weather concerns.
While discussions about AFCON 2025 progress, qualifying matches for the tournament have yet to commence. A preliminary round is slated to be played next month, paving the way for teams to secure their spots in the main tournament.
Looking ahead, the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations is slated to be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, marking another significant event in the African football calendar.
