A revolution. Nothing less. African football is preparing to shake up its oldest traditions by giving a facelift to its major event, the African Cup of Nations. It could increase in size, open up to the outside world, change its dates and even, a real earthquake in the world of football, be organized on another continent.
At this stage, it is still only a project. Its broad outlines were presented during a symposium of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), organized Tuesday July 18 and Wednesday July 19 in Rabat, Morocco. But things could speed up very soon. The CAF executive committee is due to meet this Thursday July 20. It could validate several of the proposals discussed during the symposium, then submit them to a vote the next day at the general assembly of the Confederation.
First idea, the most immediate: a change of date. Traditionally organized during the winter, the CAN could slide towards the months of June and/or July, a slower period in the international calendar. The change would have the effect of no longer forcing the many African players playing in European championships to have to choose between their club and the national team.
Ahmad Ahmad, the new president of CAF, elected last March to succeed Issa Hayatou, would be very favorable. The Malagasy politician had promised, during his campaign, to conduct a study on the future of the African Cup of Nations, with the stated objective of modifying its framework and format. He kept his word.
Another proposal: an increase from 16 to 24 teams. UEFA set an example last year. CAF would see itself following in its footsteps. But, surprise, the change in format would not only benefit African teams. It is planned to take advantage of this to open the competition to the rest of the world, by inviting to each edition of the CAN “2 or 3 selections from other continents. » A real revolution. And the prospect, not necessarily ideal, of seeing the trophy brandished on the evening of the final by the captain of a non-African team.
Above all, CAF is seriously considering moving its tournament outside the continent. Philippe Antoine, the rapporteur of the marketing and television working group of the Confederation, explained in Rabat, during the symposium, the project to organize the continental tournament in a non-African country from 2023. Qatar could be the first option, with the CAN being able to take place in the stadiums used a year earlier for the 2022 World Cup.
Comment from Danny Jordaan, the South African member of the CAF executive committee: “If we want to think globally, on a global scale, we need to act globally. » To hell with borders, the CAN dreams of itself as a universal event, at the risk of losing part of its identity. By pushing its walls, it could also increase its income from marketing and television rights.
Ahmad Ahmad explains it: “The CAF, our CAF, your CIF, has an urgent need for vitality, new work rules, the implementation of new procedures to regenerate itself, to give itself new ambitions, to banish practices of clientelism and amateurism. »
Present in Rabat on the first day of the symposium, Gianni Infantino seems to be walking hand in hand with the CAF boss on the path to reform. “Today, 35 years later, we are still here, and we still say: ‘Yes, the future is Africa,’” explained the FIFA president. But this future must become present. We need to move from dreams to actions. " The revolution is on.
