Hosts unknown, but Cup of Nations to take centrestage in Africa

JOHANNESBURG: An Africa Cup of Nations with new dates and an expanded 24-team line-up will take centre stage this year in the continent, but the hosts have still to be decided.

CAF will announce next Wednesday whether Egypt or South Africa stage the June 15-July 13 tournament after Cameroon were dropped over preparation delays and security concerns.

The date switch from January/February should end club-versus-country rows after a growing number of African stars were reluctant to leave their European teams in mid-season.

Increasing the number of finalists from 16 has already had an impact with former whipping boys Madagascar and Mauritania qualifying for the first time.

AFP Sport looks at what lies in store at national team and club levels during 2019 for the most popular sport in Africa.

Player of the Year

Egypt and Liverpool scoring sensation Mohamed Salah is set to retain the title in Dakar on January 8 with fellow Red Sadio Mane from Senegal his closest challenger.

If Salah continues to score consistently he could challenge the record of former Ivory Coast and Manchester City star Yaya Toure, who was voted number one four consecutive times.

Cup of Nations hosts

There is little to choose between Egypt and South Africa ahead of a fourth straight Cup of Nations to be held in a country not originally chosen as hosts.

But one marked difference would be the weather with Egypt experiencing northern hemisphere summer heat in June and July while South Africa shivers in the southern hemisphere winter.

Cup of Nations

Should Egypt be named hosts, the record seven-time African champions would be favoured to go one better than 2017 when they lost the final to Cameroon in Libreville.

Champions League

Holders Esperance of Tunisia, TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Al Ahly of Egypt have won seven of the last 10 finals and are among the favourites again. Ahly, under new Uruguayan coach Martin Lasarte, will be desperate for a first success since 2013 having lost the last two finals to Wydad Casablanca of Morocco and Esperance.

FIFA windows

The first during March will be used for the final Cup of Nations qualifiers and there are a further three nine-day internationals windows in the second half of the year.

Will Africa consider following the lead of Europe and introduce a CAF Nations League? It would be an improvement on African friendlies often shunned by Europe-based stars.

Olympics

Egypt will host an eight-nation tournament during November with three places at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games up for grabs.

Algeria, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Egypt qualified for the previous two African tournaments and they have been kept apart in the three-round elimination competition.

African Nations Championship

No details have been announced regarding qualifying for the sixth edition of this unique international football competition restricted to those playing in their country of birth.

Ethiopia will host the 2020 finals — the first time the east African country has staged a CAF competition since the 1976 Cup of Nations.