Afcon 2025 And 2027 Hosts To Be Announced As Algeria Withdraws From Race | Football/Soccer

Algeria had been in the running for both the 2025 and 2027 events, but newly-elected president of the Algerian Football Federation (FAF) Walid Sadi used an appearance on state TV on Tuesday to announce the country's withdrawal from the bidding process, stating the move was motivated by a "new approach to the football development strategy in Algeria".

The FAF has also said it now plans to "focus its efforts on the reorganisation and revitalisation of football in Algeria".

That leaves Morocco, Zambia and a joint Nigeria-Benin bid as the remaining candidates for 2025.

Senegal, Egypt, Botswana and a combined East African bid from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are in the running for 2027.

The bids from both Algeria and Morocco have been complicated by the adversarial political relationship between the two countries, which led to diplomatic ties being severed in 2021.

Earlier this year, defending champions Morocco withdrew from the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Algeria after being refused a direct flight by the host nation.

At the time, Caf president Patrice Motsepe said: "We must not get involved in what is happening between Algeria and Morocco. Caf should never intervene in politics".

Both countries boast superb stadia and infrastructure, a football-loving population and are capable of delivering world-class football tournaments.

Members of Caf's executive committee will cast their votes on Wednesday having studied independent appraisals of each bidder.