CAF to Decide Cameroon’s AFCON 2019 Hosting Fate Next Week

Cameroon will know next week whether or not it will host the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The CAF team of inspectors who visited the central African nation thrice have handed the report that will form part of the agenda on September 30 during CAF’s executive meeting in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, where Cameroon’s fate will be sealed.

This has been revealed by CAF President Ahmad Ahmad during an interview with French radio RFI, where he added that his organization should not be blamed if hosting rights are stripped from the country.

“Let CAF meet at the end of the month, and you will hear by our means of communication about our position in relation to that,” he said as translated from French.

“There will be a decision or there will be an ultimatum. We need to meet together, with the members of the (Executive) Committee.”

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“What I can tell you is that it is not CAF that withdraws AFCON from one country or another. It is the country that is not ready and that is (what) withdraws itself. CAF simply puts a specification.”[/perfectpullquote]

“You are ready, we are organizing; you are not ready, it means that you are withdrawing yourself from the organization.”

“The reality is that it is the country that wants or does not want. And the reproach must go to the country, not to CAF.”

Cameroon’s capacity to successfully host an expanded 24-team tournament has come under scrutiny severally after they were initially handed rights to organize the tournament with 16 teams in 2014.

Morocco and Algeria have already demonstrated the ability to host the tournament by stating that they will be willing to step in as replacements if upcoming CAF Exco makes organizational changes that Cameroon will not be able to fulfill.