North African country, Algeria has submitted a bid to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, its football federation yesterday revealed that after Guinea was stripped of the tournament as its infrastructure is not ready.
‘I am currently in Cairo and I have just officially submitted Algeria’s application’ to host the tournament, Algerian Football Federation (FAF) spokesman Salah Bey Aboud told public radio station Chaine 3.
The Cairo-based Confederation of African Football (CAF) has also received bids by Algeria’s neighbour and arch-rival Morocco, as well as a joint bid by Nigeria and Benin, he said.
Algeria’s sports and youth minister said Tuesday that the country’s application was ‘solid and consistent’.
Read Also: Hard-Fighting Morocco Knocked Out Of World Cup By France
‘Unlike other bids, Algeria has facilities that are already operational,’ Abderezzak Sebgag told the APS official news agency.
Algeria had already said in early October that it would bid to host the cup, days after Guinea’s President Patrice Motsepe said the country had been stripped of the task.
CAF will inspect facilities in January before announcing a final decision the following month.
In another report, the Atlas Lions of Morocco needed a win to become the first team from outside of Europe and South America to play in the final of the World Cup but that dream was killed on Wednesday night as France became the first World Cup holders in 24 years to reach the final as they brought Morocco’s magical journey to an end with a 2-0 semi-final win at the Al Bayt Stadium.
Africa Today News, New York reports that Les Bleus were greatly outnumbered in support at the match venue and faced a wave of attacks from a Morocco side who never gave up the ghost, however, goals from Theo Hernandez and Randal Kolo Muani either side of the break were enough to send France through to Sunday’s final showdown against Argentina.