The fears that Cameroon may not host the delayed 2021 AFCON next month are so serious that the tournament could even be cancelled altogether.
The Super Eagles and 23 other countries have qualified for the AFCON, which kicks off January 9, 2022, in Cameroon.
However, a former CAF technical director Abdel Moneim Hussein aka ‘Shatta’ has said Cameroon are not ready to welcome the rest of African next month.
“The local organizing committee in Cameroon is running out of time to be ready. Even FIFA have opened an office there to tackle the issues there,” he told Egyptian television Al-Hayah.
“When Cameroon obtained the organization of the AFCON for 2021 (postponed for one year due to Covid-19, editor’s note), the number of participants in the final phase was 16 and not 24” , added ‘Shatta’.
He also criticised the lack of consideration for African football: “Nobody takes the African continent into consideration and the president of FIFA should have found a solution to prevent AFCON from being played at the same time as the Club World Cup (scheduled from February 3 to 12, editor’s note). It is a lack of respect for AFCON and Africa. “
He said he now fears that the AFCON could finally be canceled.
“If Cameroon are not ready, no African country will be able to host the tournament, even if it is postponed for three or four months. It will then have to be canceled, ” he warned.
Asked about the possibility of relocating the tournament to Qatar, ‘Shatta’ said it was a possibility.
“Everything is possible. CAF are under the control of FIFA and only FIFA can approve the relocation of a tournament outside Africa,” he reasoned.
