Why Morocco will not host 2019 Afcon

Harambee Stars' Striker Michael Olunga celebrate after scoring the first goal at Kasarani when Kenya beat Ethiopia 3-0 in their Africa Cup of Nations Cup Group F qualifier on Sunday to move closer to a place in next year’s finals in Cameroon. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Morocco will not be a candidate to host the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations after Cameroon was stripped of the tournament, the country’s sports minister Rachid Talbi Alami said, while Egypt expressed an interest in hosting the finals.

“Morocco does not intend to run for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations and will not do so,” he told said.

Morocco and South Africa had been seen as the frontline contenders to host the competition, which is due to start on June 15.

Cameroon had originally beaten bids from Algeria and the Ivory Coast to win the right to host the tournament, but saw it taken away by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) last month due to delays in preparation.

Morocco, which lost out to a United States/Mexico/Canada bid to host the 2026 World Cup, has regularly been reported as a possible replacement.

But Egypt made a move to host the contintental showpiece for a fifth time, just hours after Alami’s comments.

“Egypt is able to organise the competition and we would be proud to do so,” said Egyptian sports minister Ashraf Sobhi.

“The Egyptian people are always ready for such things, we have infrastructure of the highest level.”

Congo Brazzaville has also emerged as a surprise candidate, while CAF has offered the 2021 finals to Cameroon despite having previously awarded the tournament to the Ivory Coast.

The 2019 Cup of Nations will be the first to feature 24 teams since CAF expanded the format from 16 countries.

Meanwhile, Ivory Coast defender Serge Aurier slammed the “stupid” decision of CAF to strip his country of the right to host the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

CAF took away the finals from Cameroon.

But instead of just replacing Cameroon as hosts, African football’s governing body opted to offer the country the 2021 edition, which had originally been awarded to the Ivory Coast.

“I’m shocked, I don’t understand this decision,” Tottenham full-back Aurier said.

“For me, it’s a shambles, a matter for politicians. It’s a pity, it’s a stupid decision. As a player, we want this CAN in 2021 in our country.”

National football team Harambee Stars will feature in the continental tournament