2025 AFCON: CAF strips Guinea of hosting right, Nigeria set to benefit

Insinuations are rife that the Confederation of Africa Football, (CAF) has stripped Guinea of the 2025 AFCON hosting right.

The decision and subsequent announcement were made at the CAF secretariat in Cairo, Egypt after due consultations.

CAF announced Guinea as the tournament’s host on November 30, 2018, but the continent’s football body has withdrawn the mandate after the Executive Committee approved the decision to strip Guinea of the hosting rights.

CAF said that considering happenings and preparations so far on the ground and time frame, Guinea is not prepared to host the continent’s most glamorous competition.

The Guinean government was toppled sometime a few months ago by the country’s military and the west African country is still very much unsettled.

However, there are indications that Nigeria and Republic du Benin  may get the nod.

“The Executive Committee was unanimous that Guinea will not be ready to host the competition.

“The Executive Committee took a unanimous decision based on the report as submitted that the tournament is withdrawn from Guinea.

“The President suggested that a delegation be sent to Guinea to inform them of the decision taken by EXCO.

“Resolution: The Executive Committee resolved to send a delegation to Guinea to inform them of CAF’s decision to withdraw the Africa Cup of Nations Guinea 2025 from Guinea,” CAF noted in a release made available to the media.

Recall that President of Nigeria Football Federation, (NFF) Amaju Pinnick had hinted a few weeks ago that Nigeria and neighbour Benin Republic could get the hosting right of the tournament.

However, CAF hasn’t officially announced the new host of the tournament but plans to reveal it in due course.

CAF has not however made any official statement on the replacement if Guinea loses the hosting rights.