2023 African Cup of Nations Could be Held in June

Africa’s premier regional football tournament African Cup of Nations could experience a shift of dates from early January to the middle of the year for the 2023 edition.

According to Fifa Secretary General Jerome Valcke, the decision was made by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in a bid to avoid club versus country conflict, especially for professional players who will have been released for the African Cup two weeks after the World Cup.

“The African confederation has automatically and nicely agreed it will not organise the Nations Cup in January 2023."

This will mean the African Cup of Nations will have to be postponed to June to avoid the release of the African players for the World Cup, two weeks after being released for the African Cup,” said Valcke.

RE-ORGANIZE

The 2022 World Cup is set to finish in late December and the African Cup had been scheduled to start in mid-January 2023.

While CAF spokesman Junior Binyam said the governing body is 100 percent behind the proposal by the task force and will adjust its calendar accordingly.

He added he was not aware of Fifa’s decision to move the Nations Cup.

The agreement was reached during a meeting held in Doha, Qatar during a task force meting on the 2018 – 2022 football calendar.

Valcke also refuted claims that there would be financial payments to clubs for the disruption of domestic leagues after the task force recommended November/December as the ideal months to stage the 2022 World Cup.

“There will be no compensation. There is seven years to reorganise football around the world for this World Cup," he said.

By Bernard Ndong