Algeria joins race to replace Libya as 2013 African Nations Cup hosts

By David Gold

July 8 – Algeria has thrown its hat into the ring to host the 2013 African Nations Cup, which seems set to be taken away from war torn Libya.

South Africa, who replaced Libya as the host of the African Youth Championships in April, has announced that it will offer itself as a replacement to host the tournament.

But the South Africans are already set to host the 2017 competition, and so Algeria have decided to put themselves forward for 2013.

Algerian Football Federation spokesman Abdelkader Berdja said that “it might help our bid to qualify for the next World Cup finals”.

The Confederation of African Football will make a decision on whether Libya will host the tournament or not at a meeting in Cairo this September.

Equatorial Guinea and Gabon will host the 2012 African Nations Cup, before the 2013 tournament sees the competition switch to being held in odd numbered years to avoid being staged in the same year as the World Cup or European Championship.

Though Libyan football has been on hold since a French and British led United Nations air mission conducted strikes on Colonel Gadaffi’s ground forces in the country in an attempt to prevent genocide, their clubs have continued to play in European competition.

They gave up their right to play at home, instead playing a one off tie away from home, though none of their teams reached the fourth round of the African Champions League.

Libya’s national team has also had to relocate, and they used a stadium in Mail to host a game in March.

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