TheCable

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will announce the countries hosting the 2025 and 2027 editions of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Wednesday. 

Nigeria will present a joint bid with Benin Republic to co-host the 2027 edition.

The bid, however, faces an intense contest from Senegal, Egypt, Botswana and a triple hosting arrangement of Uganda/Kenya/Tanzania.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) said the Nigeria-Benin bid earned a massive boost after Algeria pulled out of the hosting race on Tuesday.

Nigeria has put forward the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja; Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt; Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo; Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos; Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna; Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba; Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City and; Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano if its bid is accepted

The Benin Republic, on the other hand, listed the Stade Mathieu Kerekou in Cotonou and the Stade Charles de Gaulle in Porto Novo.

A Nigerian contingent headed by John Enoh, minister of sports, has arrived in Cairo, Egypt, ahead of the presentation to the CAF executive members.

Mainasara Illo, the chief organiser of the 2009 U-17 World Cup in Nigeria, will make a 10-minute presentation, canvassing for the Nigeria-Benin bid. The voting will follow after.

The AFCON 2025 hosting rights race has Morocco as the foremost contender.

Nigeria had earlier submitted a joint bid alongside the Benin Republic for the 2025 edition after Guinea was stripped of the hosting rights.

An insider within the NFF told TheCable that the bid was, however, restructured for the 2027 AFCON hosting rights.

The last time Nigeria co-hosted the AFCON was 22 years ago — alongside Ghana. The Super Eagles lost the final of that tournament on penalties to Cameroon.

Prior to that tournament, the country had hosted the 1980 AFCON, defeating Algeria in the final.