Qualifying matches for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) which were scheduled for September 2022 have been pushed back to March next year to help the continent’s teams prepare for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar according to reports.The decision to delay the AFCON qualifiers was made when the 2023 edition of the continental tourney, originally scheduled to be held in June and July next year in Ivory Coast, were postponed to January-February 2024 in a bid to avoid the rainy season.Qualifying matches for the next edition of AFCON set to be played in September have been pushed back to March 2023 to help the continent’s teams prepare for the World Cup.— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 29, 2022 “The postponement of the Cup of Nations offered an opportunity to reschedule the remaining qualifying matches,” a document addressed to the members of the executive committee of the CAF, which has been seen by AFP, outlined.”It also makes it possible to open the dates in September to international friendly matches for preparation for the World Cup.”Senegal, who won the 2022 Cup of Nations in February for the first time ever in their history, Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco and Tunisia are the African teams that have qualified for the World Cup to be staged in Qatar from 21 November to 18 December 2022.Nigeria 🇳🇬 and Benin 🇧🇯 are being considered to co-host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations as CAF plans to strip off the hosting rights from Guinea 🇬🇳. Nigeria Football Federation President @PinnickAmaju has confirmed this to journalists today. pic.twitter.com/rlXyUL5qKn— nuhu.adams (@NuhuAdams_) July 26, 2022 With the first two rounds of the qualifiers already taking place in June this year, the third and fourth rounds of qualifying for the 2024 Cup of Nations will take place in March 2023.Match days five and six will be held in June with the sixth matchday set for September.
