There is a major new question mark against the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) taking place as scheduled in Cameroon next month after a serious split emerged between members of the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) executive committee yesterday, as Fifa president Gianni Infantino reportedly added his powerful voice to the calls for a postponement.
Infantino is understood to have put his weight behind those European clubs pushing for the rescheduling of an event due to kick off in Cameroon on 9 January, with as many as 40 Premier League players potentially involved.
The Fifa president is said to have the support of a small but highly influential minority within CAF though Sunday’s Zoom meeting of its executive committee ended with no agreement reached as the Cameroonian hosts refused to accept another delay to a tournament which has already been postponed twice before.
Reports on Sunday suggested a CAF delegation, headed by the African football body’s president, Patrice Motsepe, was due to travel to Cameroon on Monday to check on the host nation’s final preparations, with a second meeting now scheduled on Wednesday to decide the fate of the Afcon.
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The UAE-based tournament, in which Chelsea will take part as Champions League winners, overlaps with the conclusion of the Afcon.
Egyptian club Al-Ahly, the African champions, have complained about the prospect of losing 10 or more players to their national teams for the AFcon owing to the damaging effect this would have on their Club World Cup preparations.
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The Cairo-based club are due to play their opening match of the Club World Cup on 5 February, the day before the Afcon final, which could potentially leave them at a big disadvantage, hence their lobbying of both CAF and Fifa.
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