Morocco: CAF meeting could move AFCON to summer

Caf and Fifa officials, national association officials and national team coaches are in Morocco for the first ever African Football Symposium.

As part of the highly expected decisions to be made during the Rabat gathering, the continent’s flagship football competition – AFCON – could be moved to summer instead of the January-February period.

The two-day symposium precedes CAF’s General Assembly that will kick off on July 20 to 21. Decisions at symposium will be discussed during the two-day General Assembly.

CAF president Ahmad Ahmad said: “There’s an urgent need to revitalize our federation CAF; to design new working rules, new procedures, new ambitions, banning clientelism practices and amateurism.”

“35 years later we are still at the same place today. We say the future is Africa, but this future must become present, we must move from dreams to actions, and that’s why I am happy to be here,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

There are also talks of a possible expansion of the AFCON to 24 teams from the current 16. The confederation will also discuss preparation processes of AFCON 2019 to take place in Cameroon and CHAN in Kenya, next year.

AFCON’s January-February timing prevents many African players in Europe from taking part in the event. European clubs have also been calling for the harmonization of the competition schedule in line with the different European leagues.