The Confederation of African Football (CAF) faces a major setback after Ivory Coast pulled out as host of the 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), just weeks before the tournament.
The decision, announced by the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) on March 25, 2025, comes as a shock, with reports indicating that the government cited “impossibility of hosting” in a letter to FIF. The exact reasons remain unclear, though speculation points to financial and logistical challenges.
FIF President Yacine Idriss Diallo, who also chaired the tournament’s organizing committee, expressed regret but thanked all involved in the preparations. He assured stakeholders that CAF’s next steps would be communicated soon.
With the tournament originally set for April 26 to May 18, 2025, CAF must now urgently find a replacement host to avoid disruption.
Ghana, one of the qualified teams, is currently in Morocco preparing for the competition.
Credit: CAF
