Algeria and Manchester City forward Riyad Mahrez says staging the Africa Cup of Nations every four years will bring respect to African football around the world.
Currently the Africa Cup of Nations holds every two years with the next edition billed for Cameroon in 2021.
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Back In February, FIFA president Gianni Infantino, speaking at a CAF seminar in Morocco, proposed to the continent’s football body that the Africa Cup of Nations be held every four years instead of two, as he outlined his vision to “project African football to the top of the world”.
“I propose to organise the Africa Cup of Nations every four years rather than two years.
“The CAN [Africa Cup of Nations] generates twenty times less than the Euros. Having a CAN every two years, is that good at the commercial level? Has this developed the infrastructure? Think about spending it every four years,” Infantino told delegates in Rabat.
And Mahrez, who helped Algeria secure their second Cup of Nations title on last year’s edition on Egypt, backed suggestions made by Infantino.
“We should have the African Cup every 4 years in the summer,” the former Leicester City star said.
“It was great in Egypt, not too hot. Having it every 2 years and in the winter is the reason why African football is not respected. There’s a lot of competition when you leave your club for 2 months.”
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COMMENTS
I dont agree with you Mahrez. We need to grow the African game. Playing every 2 years will give us excitement of seeing our star players. Africa is a continent bedevilled by bad governance. Football is our only consolation that distracts us from all the political and economic problems in Africa abeg oh.
3 years is better and should be in the summer, so that African football will got more followers and concentration. The quality of hosting and pitch will also improve
If ever that becomes a reality, then that CHAN standard should be lifted to a very high level as to incorporate all players playing within Africa. And be held every two years. That will really help develop the game within the African continent. CAF should throw loads of funds into it, make it so attractive as to be able to woo those big time sponsors n so on. Then it will be fitting to hold AFCON every 4 years.
Mahrez you are not serious, most we follow oyinbo in everything they do? i read in a post where balotelli is proposing all africa footballers should quit playing in europe, come back to african and the african football authority should invest largely on their pitches and make every country league competitive and our african champions league more standard in other to curb the maltreatment african soccer players face in there respective clubs, which i supported, and here one marez saying rubbish.
It is unlikely there would be an Afcon in 2021 if we are being realistic. The schedule is already going to be hectic and international travel is uncertain until either a vaccine or cure for the ‘rona is discovered. It would be insensitive to the players to tell them to gather in one country in the middle of an already hectic season next january.
As for having afcon every four years, hmmm. For that to work it would mean the African FA’s need to sit up and invest in making CHAN a better tournament than it currently is. I don’t see that happening
Lord AMO, as usual you make very valuable contributions – thank you.
Personally, I don’t think it will be a bad idea to try out having the Africa Cup of Nations every 3 years to start with. For this to happen, I will recommend the following for CHAN:
– Expand the eligibility criteria to include domestic players plying their trade across Africa (not just their home country).
– Follow the Olympic format by allowing each team to include a maximum of for Non-Africa based players in their final list of 23 for the tournament.
– then increase the number of participating teams to 32.
This modifications should help to improve the quality of football across the continent.
Correction: – Follow the Olympic format by allowing each team to include a maximum of 4 Non-Africa based players in their final list of 23 for the tournament.