Super Eagles get more time to prepare for AFCON as CAF postpones the tournament
The Super Eagles of Nigeria will have to wait a little while longer for the AFCON tournament as the Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has postponed the 2023 edition to be held in Ivory Coast due to the unfavorable weather conditions.
Just as the last edition was moved from 2021 to 2022 due to Covid-19, the 2023 edition will be moved to 2024, this time due to the weather.
The 34th edition of Africa's flagship football competition has been shifted to the dry season in Ivory Coast, January 2024.
AFCON 2023 was initially scheduled to be held from June 23 to July 23, 2023 in the West African Nation.
The Super Eagles are well-placed to qualify for the next Africa Cup of Nations after winning their first two matches in Group A of qualifying against Sierra Leone(2-1) and São Tomé and Príncipe(10-0).
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Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, July 3, CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe stated : "The 2023 Afcon will now be played between January and February 2024.
"This is one of the issues we discussed during our congress meeting here in Morocco and the official dates will be communicated later.
"It is after deliberations we came into the decision, we have partners and even though we make decisions, it is out of respect that we take the advice we are getting that we cannot take a risk [to host the tournament] and so that is why we have made the necessary announcement today [Sunday].
"It is not good for African football to play a tournament that can be washed out, it is not good for Africa and the continent at large and so we have to postpone it."
The Super Eagles will host nearest Group A challengers in AFCON qualifying, Guinea-Bissau in September 2022.
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