Next year’s Africa Cup of Nations will now be played in January 2022 in Cameroon.
The decision comes off the back of a torrid year that has thrown everything aback due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The executive committee of the Confederation of African Football feels 2022 will be the best time for the continent’s showpiece event to kick off again with the safety of shareholders of the game the major pointer for the postponement of the event.
The AFCON was not the only tournament affected as the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) will be played out in January, 2021.
CAF president Ahmed Ahmed also confirmed the African Champions League and the Confederation cup, the semi-final will be played over one leg instead of home and away fixtures.
And the African Women Cup of Nations which was scheduled to take place this year has also been cancelled in favour of a new competition, thus the Women’s Champions League in 2021.
Several African teams’ hopes of resuming their remaining matches in the coming weeks were dashed days ago following the decision of FIFA to cancel international matches scheduled for September.
The Black Stars were hoping to return to their Group C matches of the qualifiers by July with new coach CK Akunnor to seal an early qualification for the tournament to be held in Cameroon.
But Akunnor and his charges will have to wait a while longer as the competition and its qualifiers have been rescheduled for a later date.
By Yaw Ofosu Larbi|3news.com|Ghana