Nigeria, Benin Republic bid to co-host 2025 Africa Cup of Nations
Nigeria and its West African neighbour Benin Republic have submitted a joint bid to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), a source close to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed.
Nigeria is yet to host the football showpiece since the 2000 edition which they co-hosted with Ghana, while Benin Republic has never staged a major tournament finals.
According to BBC Sport Africa, a top official of the NFF said that the federation completed all the necessary processes, and officially submitted a bid to the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) before the December 16 deadline.
“Having completed all the processes, we submitted our bid before the Confederation of African Football (Caf) deadline of 16 December,” the source said to BBC.
The statement added: “The NFF will be sharing more information on the bid to stage the tournament in the coming weeks.”
Nigeria, who last hosted the finals of a major international tournament in 2009, which was the Under-17 World Cup, and Benin, would be prepared to convince the CAF officials when inspections begin from January 5 to 25 next year.
The bid to host the 2025 AFCON was reopened a few months ago after initial hosts Guinea was stripped of the hosting rights, with CAF citing the inability of the country to meet the deadline to get facilities ready for the tournament.
The West African nation is currently struggling with political instability following a military junta that ousted former civilian president Alpha Coundé in September 2021.
Meanwhile, Nigeria faces a stiff competition from other countries including Zambia, Algeria, Morocco and South Africa, who have all expressed their interest in hosting the finals, with the winner expected to be named in February next year.
In a October report, Peoples Gazette reviewed the five key tasks undercut Nigeria’s push to host Africa Cup of Nations after 22 years.
The three-time Africa champions have lost AFCON hosting bids four times in 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2019, but would be looking to overturn the outcome this time around.
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
Sport
Miami Open: Medvedev survives Khachanov test to reach final
Red-hot fourth seed Medvedev has now reached the final in five consecutive events after triumphs in Doha, Rotterdam, and Dubai before finishing runner-up at Indian Wells.
Politics
2023 presidential election was not credible: Davido
The award-winning musician made the assertion during an interview with Lagos-based Beat FM as he embarked on a media tour to promote his newly released 17-track album ‘Timeless’.
Politics
APC organises counter protest against anti-Tinubu demonstrators in U.S.
The protest will be held at Lafayette Park, South West Quadrant, Washington DC, on April 3.
Politics
Kwara lawmaker Olawuyi joins race for Reps speakership
Mr Olawuyi said he believed he possessed the needed experience to make the office of the speaker better, if elected by his colleagues.
Sport
Nigeria whip Ghana at Lagos women’s cricket invitational
Ghana has exited the tournament, losing all of its matches to Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, along side Nigeria.
Kano
I won’t honour loans granted from March 18 without my consent: Kano Governor-elect
It warned that from March 18 to May 29, no lender, domestic or international, should grant any loan facility to the incumbent Kano State Government.
