CAIRO (AP) — Doubts over Morocco’s willingness to host the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in less than two weeks have prompted the African football federation to say it will clarify the matter in the coming days.
“There have been many discussions over several weeks. The matter is receiving urgent attention from the top,” CAF communications director Luxolo September said on social network X on Wednesday.
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Morocco will host the tournament for the third consecutive time from March 17 to April 3, but despite CAF president Patrice Motsepe saying on February 13 that the 16th edition of the tournament would be held in Morocco as planned, reports that the country will withdraw have persisted.
“We still have a partnership with Morocco,” Motsepe said at the time, ruling out the possibility of changing dates as the tournament doubles as a qualifier for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
South Africa had previously offered to step in as host.
On Wednesday, South Africa’s Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie condemned Morocco for calling the tournament’s status into question just 13 days before the World Cup begins.
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“If Morocco is ready to host the World Football Championship because they hosted a fantastic Africa Cup of Nations, they should do so. But if they are not ready, we want to tell them that we are not a country without stadiums, we are not a country with less infrastructure. We will never be held hostage by countries that have less than us,” McKenzie said. “We will not allow women to be treated like this.”
CAF made the surprising decision in November to expand the tournament to 16 teams.
Nigeria became the defending champion after defeating Morocco 3-2 in last year’s final.
Morocco also lost to Senegal in the men’s Africa Cup of Nations final in January.
The ambitious kingdom is also a co-host of the 2030 Men’s World Cup.
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