Ivory Coast Withdraws As U20 Africa Cup of Nations Host

Ivory Coast has announced its withdrawal as the host nation for the U20 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to take place from April 26 to May 18, 2025. The decision, made by the Government, has left the Confederation of African Football (CAF) scrambling to find an immediate solution to save the tournament.

The withdrawal of Ivory Coast as the host nation has thrown the tournament into chaos, with just a month to go before the scheduled start date.

CAF is now facing a race against time to find a new host nation and ensure that the tournament goes ahead as planned.

The U20 Africa Cup of Nations is an important competition for the development of young African footballers, and its cancellation would be a significant blow to the continent’s football community.

The reasons behind Ivory Coast’s withdrawal as host nation have not been made clear, but it is understood that the decision was made by the Government. The move has raised concerns about the country’s ability to host major international football tournaments in the future.

Ivory Coast has a rich football history and has hosted several major tournaments in the past, including the Africa Cup of Nations.

CAF has to now work around the clock to find a new host nation for the tournament. The organization has a number of options to consider, but any new host nation will need to be able to meet the tournament’s logistical and infrastructure requirements at short notice.

CAF has promised to make a decision on the new host nation as soon as possible.

Source: GBC