Sports

Ghana Sports Minister Reveals AFCON Co-hosting Plans With Nigeria, Benin

Nigeria, Benin Republic and Ghana are expected to submit a joint bid for the hosting of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after the hosting rights was withdrawn from Guinea, reports Prime Business Africa.

Media sources in Ghana indicate that the Ghana Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif has revealed that the west African nation has been in talks over a possible triple bid.

The Confederation of Africa Football has set aside December 16 as date for finalised bids for the tournament, including documents, proposed host cities and government guarantees to reach its Cairo headquarters.

Nigeria and Ghana co-hosted the 2000 Africa Cup of Nations which Nigeria were runners up after Cameroon won in controversial circumstances after Victor Ikpeba’s ‘missed’ penalty kick in the shootout.

Guinea, designated hosts of the 2025 which would be the 25th edition of the AFCON according to CAF have not adequately convinced that they are ready to provide world class facilities for the continental showpiece.

“There’s a discussion that Ghana should bid with the likes of Nigeria and Benin. We are still considering it.

“We have not taken a decision yet but there is that discussion that we should get sister countries so that we can put in that bid,” Ghana’s sports minister, Mustapha Ussif was quoted by Kickgh.com.

Cote d’Ivoire will host the next Africa Cup of Nations in January 2024 after the tournament was moved back for a year with the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar to kick off November 20.

Meanwhile the qualifiers for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations will restart in March 2023 following the postponement of the tournament.

Izuchukwu Okosi

Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc. In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio. He worked there for 13 years until October 2017. Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch. He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations. Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line. Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.