The debate continues to rage about whether the continental championships should go on as planned, postponed to a later date, or cancelled outright
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has revealed that the world football governing body is still consulting with the organisers of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations to postpone the competition to September.
It is less than three weeks to the continent’s biggest football fiesta, but there is no guarantee yet that it will kick off on the scheduled date of January 6.
The most significant opposition to the tournament comes from Europe, especially in England, where the clubs frown at releasing some of their best stars at a crucial period of the season.
For example, Watford could lose exciting Nigerian forward Emmanuel Dennis, while Liverpool could potentially be without Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah for a month.
The spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus is also a concern, with the 2021 Afcon already postponed twice because of the pandemic.
A report emerged from France last week suggesting that the Confederation of African Football was looking to cancel the competition.
CAF quickly dismissed the report and insisted that Cameroon 2021 would proceed as planned.
But FIFA president Infantino, at the FIFA Global Summit on Monday, noted that the Afcon is an important tournament, but playing it in January has become a problem.
The top administrator, however, revealed that the football body is discussing the possibility of having the Afcon at a time when it would be convenient for the major stakeholders involved.
“The African Cup is a competition which is played every two years: we understand the importance of this Cup,” Infantino said, as per Tutto Napoli.
“Until a few years ago, nobody cared that it was played in winter. Now, it has become a problem because many African players play in big clubs, which lose them in a highlight of the season.
“If we can reschedule the calendar and make sure an African Nations Cup is played in the big international window in September, rather than January or February, we would have solved a problem for so many leagues that have African players.
“It is part of the process we are talking about. I don’t like to talk about wars or enemies, but about trial. It is important to seek the best solution together.”
The Super Eagles are among the 24 teams already qualified for Cameroon 2021.
Nigeria won the championship on three previous occasions: as host in 1980, in Tunisia in 1994, and in South Africa in 2013.
This post was last modified on December 21, 2021 10:50 am
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The AFCON had been played in the past and is always in winter with oversea clubs releasing African's stars to participate in the competition. If Infantino is of the opinion to shift the game to September because clubs' engagement of African stars, African could as well not accept the opinion. For those stars who have made it in overseas, they could well forget AFCON. AFCON is a fiesta to show case home talents and not for the big guys who have made it. The organisers should proceed with the fiesta
The fact is, you cannot eat your cake and have it. You cannot have major European clubs investing so much in African players and tell them not to have a say.
African nations should develop their leagues to ensure quality players who could rival Europe- based ones are produced and retained.
Except you'll be in denial, nations cup without Europe-based stars is as boring as hell. Just watch the home- based nations cup tournament to confirm this.
Most of these nations agitating haven't even invested a penny in these players. They provided nothing for some of them to develop. European clubs brushed them up and made them stars, and people are saying they can't have a say.
He who pays the piper plays the tune!
Africa should look inwards, develop its own leagues, rid sports of corruption and it can then begin to determine how it wants things done and nobody questions that.
think very much because african cuf of natino is very inportant
Afcon is not for the big boys pls proceed don't do this to Africa am begging fifa
COVID-19 is an acceptable and a more logical reason to CONSIDER shifting the event but the issue of post-poning the event because of the effects it would have on Europen football leagues is not fair. Do not forget that we have the world cup probably in June/July after which most leagues in Europe especially the premier league would kick off in August and the UEFA champions league in SEPTEMBER. The stress would be too much. These guys are humans. Infantino should look into having more african teams to participate in the subsequent world cups. Africa is a nation of 54+ countries with world-class football talents. 5 slots is not just enough. Cameron 2022 is-a-go for me in January.
Africa will never get it right be it in sports or any area so far as we have foreigners dictating to us.
Africa should be able to decide for herself. Why do we have to change our timetable for European football that is very proud?All roads lead to Cameron in January.
You people only consider the effect the afcon will cause on the big leagues in europe but you dont consider the stress and the effect it will cause tje african players if it been shift to September, please let the afcon take off on the scheduled date January 6
We Africans are gullible.Imagine if It was any other continent, they wouldn't agree to this nonsense Only Africans will. Africa needs to wake up in order to grow.
This is how selfish European teams are! When they are playing their own tournaments their FAs do release their best players.
But when it is the turn of Africa the reverse is the case.
They have done well.
Nii
African leaders should always learn to stand on their decisions and stop behaving like kids that need to be told on what to do, is club football bigger than continental showpiece?
Postponing the tournament to September is not ideal thing to do because we do not have good pitches in Africa like in Europe. I think January is better.