Foot: CAN 2021 in Cameroon postponed to January 2022

The president of the International Football Federation (FIFA), Gianni Infantino, and that of the African Football Confederation (CAF), Ahmad, on February 2, 2018 in Casablanca. FADEL SENNA / AFP

Text by: David Kalfa Follow

The next African Cup of Nations football, scheduled in Cameroon from January 9 to February 6, 2021, has been postponed for a year, announced the Confederation of African Football (CAF) this June 30, 2020. Because of the pandemic from Covid-19, the qualifications for CAN 2021 may not be finished in time and playing the final phase in June-July next is too complicated, especially because of the rainy season in the Gulf of Guinea.

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Until the end or almost, the African Football Confederation ( CAF ) wanted to believe - or wanted to believe - an African Cup of Nations in Cameroon in January-February 2021. But this June 30, 2020, the government (Committee executive) of CAF brought Cameroonians and African football fans to reason. The Executive Committee (ComEx) has indeed decided to postpone the final phase of CAN 2021 to… at the beginning of 2022. Or, in theory, at the same time as CHAN 2022 in Algeria and nine months before the World Cup in Qatar ( November 21-December 18, 2022).

A quasi-inevitable decision which this time has nothing to do with the state of preparation of the host country. After having to give up CAN 2019 because of delays, Cameroon must wait this time because of qualifications for the tournament which may not be finished on time.

Playing in June-July 2021, too complicated

The International Football Federation ( FIFA ) has in fact decided that no international matches will be played in September in Africa . Under these conditions, trying to play the 96 remaining matches during the FIFA windows of October and November 2020 alone is too dangerous. In the event of a new wave of coronaviruses, it would have been almost impossible to complete the eliminations in time.

There remained the possibility of playing in June-July 2021. FIFA has also extended its international window by seven days for CAF (and three other confederations). But this option has too many disadvantages. Because of the climate, first of all: Cameroonians and CAF leaders explained on January 15, 2020 that the rainy season in June-July makes it too difficult to play football. Due to audiovisual competition, then: the CAN would have taken place during a period when attention will be vampirized by the Euro men's football and the Tokyo Olympics.

The least bad solution is to postpone the African Cup of Nations by one year. Hoping that the health situation and the international sports calendar will be favorable for the now CAN 2022…

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  • Soccer
  • CAN 2021
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