Nigeria-Benin bid for 2025 AFCON: Duo face location challenge as CAF schedule inspection visit

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the dates for the inspection visits that will take place in the candidate countries to decide on the host of the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The inspection visits will last for three days in each candidate country, and the decision on the host country will be announced after the final visit.

Nigeria and Benin have presented a joint bid to host the 2025 AFCON, and the duo will battle with Zambia, Morocco, and Algeria for the tournament’s hosting rights.

CAF’s inspection visits will commence in Southern Africa, with Zambia being the first country to receive CAF inspectors from March 20-22, followed by Morocco from March 24-26. Algeria will be the third candidate country to be visited by inspectors from March 27-29.

The fourth and final inspection visit will be reserved for the Nigeria-Benin duo from March 31 to April 2.

Nigeria have hosted the AFCON twice, first in 1980 and together with Ghana in 2000 – the first time two nations co-hosted the continent’s premier championship.

The three-time African champions are looking (or not) to partner with Benin to host the 35th edition of the biennial tournament.

But their joint bid has been met with some skepticism due to the geographical location of both countries and the rule of alternation between regions that CAF is seeking to establish on the African continent.

After the final inspection visit, the announcement of the host country for the 35th edition of the AFCON in 2025 will be made. This announcement could take place in Algeria on the occasion of the U17 AFCON in April or in Morocco, which will host the U23 AFCON in June.

Central Africa’s Cameroon hosted the last edition. In contrast, West Africa’s Ivory Coast will host the next edition, and a nation outside those two regions is being tipped to host the next edition.

Guinea was set to be the original host of the 2025 tournament, but CAF stripped it of hosting rights after affirming its inadequacy of hosting preparations.