AFCON
George Weah backs Morocco’s bid for 2025 Afcon; headache looms in CAF
Africa’s living football icon and Liberia’s President George Weah has expressed his country’s “full” and “strong” support for Morocco’s bid to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The commitment came from a statement from Liberia’s state house at the weekend. With this, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) may have a difficult choice in February when the hosts of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 will be announced.
With the on-going cold war between neighbours – Morocco and Algeria – which had seen the former being denied by the latter in participating in the on-going African Nations Championship, CAF may not want to award the competition to either to avert possible recurrence of denial of entry into one another’s territory.
It is almost inconceivable that one of them will fail the qualifying tests. But the voice of President George Weah is strong in African football.
“I have made this commitment to King Mohammed VI. It is cast in stone,” Liberia’s President remarked in a statement issued.
Emphasizing Morocco and Liberia’s strong relations, Weah stressed his commitment to fully support Morocco. Demonstrating his loyalty, he announced that he has begun campaigning for Morocco with football stakeholders around the continent.
“I have made this commitment to King Mohammed VI. It is cast in stone,” he added, noting Morocco’s historic World Cup run in Qatar.
Weah, who was a former professional football player, said Morocco brought “immense pride to Africa” during the 2022 World Cup.
In addition to Liberia, Botswana publicly expressed its support last year for Morocco’s bid to host AFCON.
“Morocco has made a bid to host the 2025 AFCON Men’s final, and Botswana will [give] them the support it needs to be successful,” Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi announced last year on Twitter.
In October 2022, Morocco’s news agency MAP cited a source close to Morocco’s Football Federation (FRMF) confirming that the North African country intends to propose its candidacy to host the continental tournament.
Morocco has not hosted AFCON since 1988. In addition to Morocco, Algeria also confirmed last year its intention to submit its bid to host the tournament.
The decision came after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) withdrew the hosting rights from Guinea due to a lack of infrastructure and equipment in order for the country to host the competition.
It remains to be seen whether Algeria’s bid will secure support in Africa following the African Nations Championship (CHAN) controversy.
Algeria has deprived the Moroccan national football team of participating in CHAN after refusing to issue a permit that would allow the official carrier of the Atlas Lions to transport the squad directly from Rabat to Constantine to take part in the tournament.
Algeria also politicized the competition after inviting Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Zwelivelile Mandela, who made hostile political remarks against Morocco to challenge its territorial integrity over its southern provinces in Western Sahara during CHAN’s opening ceremony.
Distancing itself from the political remarks, CAF said it opened an investigation into the political statement and racist comments made against Morocco and its citizens during the opening ceremony of CHAN.
Algeria, South Africa, Zambia and a joint bid form Benin-Nigeria are the other nations seeking to replace Guinea, who were stripped of hosting rights because of concerns over infrastructure and facilities.
Confederation of African Football (Caf) inspection teams are touring the bidding countries this month.
Findings will be submitted to the 24-member Caf executive committee which will announce the winner on 10 February.
CAF president, Patrice Motsepe said the successful country or countries would offer the best “transport, logistics, hotels and beautiful stadiums”.
“Each region will have a chance to organise a CAN (Cup of Nations). We cannot assign the organisation of the CAN successively to the same region.”
With that statement, the joint bid of Nigeria and Benin appears dead on arrival as another West African country, Cote d’ivoire will host the preceeding edition meant for this year in 2014.
The pendulum therefore swings in favour of the Southern African region where South Africa and Zambia are the contestant.
Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe would welcome an investigation into corruption at the organisation, saying they have nothing to hide following a meeting with Senegalese officials in Dakar on Wednesday.
Senegal’s government last month demanded an investigation into corruption after the country was stripped of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title by the CAF Appeal Board, and the trophy was awarded to the final opponents, Morocco.
It follows unruly scenes in the January 18 decider in Rabat that Senegal won 1-0, but during which they left the field for several minutes in protest at a late refereeing decision.
Motsepe met with officials from the Senegalese Football Federation and Senegal president Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Wednesday, where he urged unity following the fallout from the final. He will be in Morocco on Thursday for a similar set of meetings.
“I would welcome any investigation into corruption at CAF, be it by a government or any institution,” Motsepe told reporters. “In fact, I would encourage it. We will give them our full cooperation.
“I have been told there were problems in the past and we intervened. It is not just in football, but in business and politics too. We cannot give our children the perception that if you want to succeed in life, be corrupt. There has to be zero tolerance (for corruption).
“That’s the best gift we can give football in Africa. Not just talking about corruption, but intervene, put the necessary laws in place) and implement them.”
Motsepe would not be drawn on the matter between Senegal and Morocco, which is now before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“There is nothing I can tell you that I haven’t said already 10, 15, 20 times. You can ask me the same question 100 times, I’ll give you the same answer 100 times. I have an obligation to respect that the matter is now in front of the highest (sports) court in the world.”
Motsepe quashed any suggestion that Morocco had been treated favourably in the appeal process.
“Under no circumstances will any single country in Africa be treated more preferentially or more favourably than any other. That will never happen,” he said.
“We are confident we will come out of these challenges more united amongst the 54 nations in Africa.”
-Reuters
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By Kunle Solaja.
Patrice Motsepe has intensified his diplomatic shuttle across African football corridors with a crucial visit to Morocco scheduled for Thursday, as the fallout from the controversial AFCON 2025 Final continues to reverberate across the continent.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed that Motsepe will meet with Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF), alongside other key stakeholders within Morocco’s football ecosystem.
Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF)
The high-level engagement in Rabat comes barely 24 hours after Motsepe’s crisis-management visit to Senegal, underlining CAF’s urgency in addressing the tensions and conflicting reports that have trailed the AFCON final.
Thursday’s meeting is expected to focus on fact-finding, reconciliation, and institutional alignment following the chaotic circumstances that marred the tournament’s climax. The Moroccan FA has been central to the unfolding controversy, with administrative and refereeing decisions from the final still under scrutiny.
CAF disclosed that the visit will conclude with a press conference in Rabat at 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT), where Motsepe is expected to address the media and possibly provide updates on CAF’s ongoing review of the final.
While details of the agenda remain closely guarded, the visit signals a continuation of Motsepe’s hands-on approach to crisis resolution, engaging directly with national federations in a bid to preserve the integrity of African football competitions.
CAF and the FRMF have indicated that further details regarding the outcomes of the visit will be communicated in due course, as stakeholders across the continent await clarity on one of the most contentious finals in recent AFCON history.
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CAF President Patrice Motsepe is set to visit Senegal on Wednesday for high-level talks with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and the leadership of the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football, in what is widely seen as a crucial diplomatic move amid lingering controversy over the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Final.
The visit comes against the backdrop of the chaotic and disputed AFCON 2025 final in Rabat, a match marred by heavy rainfall, administrative confusion, and conflicting official reports from within CAF and its committees.
The uncertainty surrounding the outcome of that final has cast a shadow over African football governance, prompting urgent calls for clarity and institutional accountability.
Sources indicate that Motsepe’s meeting with President Faye will extend beyond routine courtesy, touching on broader issues of football governance, tournament integrity, and the role of national associations in safeguarding the credibility of continental competitions.
Senegal, a major stakeholder in African football and one of the continent’s most influential football nations, is expected to play a key role in shaping the narrative going forward.
Motsepe will also hold discussions with Abdoulaye Fall, focusing on collaboration between CAF and its member associations, as well as mechanisms to prevent a recurrence of the controversies that plagued the AFCON final.
While CAF has yet to officially outline the agenda, observers believe the visit signals an attempt by the continental body to consolidate support among key football nations and manage the fallout from the final’s unresolved issues.
The optics of engaging directly with political leadership further underline the seriousness of the situation.
CAF and the Senegalese Football Federation have both stated that more details regarding the visit will be released in due course, leaving stakeholders across the continent watching closely for signals on how African football’s governing body intends to restore confidence in its competitions.
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