December 21 – The president of the Confederation of African Football (Caf), Ahmad Ahmad, has reiterated his warning to Cameroon about their ability to host the first expanded 24-team Africa Cup of Nations in 2019.
“If the host country is unable to organise it, we will find a country that will organise it,” Ahmad said. “The authorities in the country, up to the head of state, have always confirmed to us that they will be ready.”
Both before and after CAF approved changes to the format and timing of the Nations Cup, which is being switched to the summer months as well as being expanded, Cameroon insisted it would be ready to host.
But Ahmad appears to remain unconvinced. “It is up to them to provide us with the information that will enable us to say that Cameroon will be ready or Cameroon will not be ready. But we won’t negotiate anything.”
In August, audit firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers were due to conduct an inspection visit but withdrew amid apparent security concerns. An inspection is now due to take place early in 2018.
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