Morocco have officially withdrawn their bid to host the 2023 CAF Women’s Champions League and will throw their weight behind Ivory Coast in what are strong relationship ties between the two nations.Last month, CAF opened the bidding process for the next host of the CAF Women’s Champions League 2023. A number of nations, including Morocco, expressed interest in hosting the tournament that will be played towards the end of the year. The submissions for applications closed on Sunday, May 6, 2023.##NAJAVA_MECA_7261722##The first edition in 2021, which was won by Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, was hosted by Egypt. Last year’s edition, which was hosted in Morocco, was bagged by ASFAR, a club from the host nation.On Thursday, however, Morocco withdrew their bid and threw their weight behind Ivory Coast. The President of Morocco’s Football Federation (FRMF), Fouzi Lekjaa, made the announcement in Algiers, Algeria, during the CAF Executive Committee (EXCO) meeting.Lekjaa pointed to the healthy relationship that his country has with the Ivory Coast as the reason for the withdrawal. Should they be handed the rights, the women’s championship will serve as a litmus test for the nation ahead of the 2023 African Cup of Nations, which will be played in January 2024.After withdrawing their bid for the CAF WCL, Morocco will now focus on the upcoming AFCON U23 Championship that they are set to host from the 24th of June. They have also tabled a bid for the 2025 AFCON and a joint one alongside Portugal and Spain for the 2030 World Cup.FKFPL: Gor Mahia skipper optimistic in tight title race
