CAF Picks Morocco as hosts of CHAN 2018

Morocco have been awarded the hosting rights of the 2018 African Nations Championship.

The Emergency Committee of the Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF), chaired by Mr Ahmad, on Saturday in Lagos, unanimously reached the decision.

Morocco became one of three candidates that showed interests following the withdrawal of Kenya as host of the 5th edition of the competition on 23 September.

According to a report on its website, CAF explained that Kenya’s withdrawal on 23 September 2017 in Accra, triggered a fresh bidding process declared by the CAF Executive Committee in accordance with the statutes and the deadlines.

Morocco’s candidacy was preferred to that of Equatorial Guinea, another country to have submitted a valid application CAF stated.

The Ethiopian Football Federation, which had also expressed its willingness to host the tournament, did not provide the government’s letter of guarantee, which is a mandatory document required by the rules of application of the Statutes of the Caf.

Hence the CHAN, Morocco 2018, scheduled for 12 January to 4 February 2018, will host 16 participating national teams composed exclusively of players playing in the national championships of their respective countries.