EGYPT was announced the new host of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations scheduled to take place from 15 June to 13 July. It will be the first Africa Cup expanded from 16 to 24 teams, and the first to be held in summer instead of winter. Egypt received 16 votes while South Africa, Egypt's only contender for the bid, took only one vote. One country abstained. Egypt will now replace Cameroon as the host of the Africa Cup of Nations, the biennial international men's competition and the world's third biggest football tournament after the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Cup. This edition was initially scheduled to be hosted in Cameroon, the title holders of 2017. But, on 30 November 2018 CAF stripped Cameroon of hosting the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations for failing to meet the organisational requirements of the one-month event. The announcement made headlines in Egypt. Egyptians were thrilled with the news and took to social media outlets to celebrate. The announcement comes as CAF is also expected to select Egypt's superstar Mohamed Salah as the African Player of the Year for the second time running. The decision to award Egypt the honour of hosting the 32nd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations was taken on Tuesday at the Executive Committee meeting which was held in Dakar, Senegal. However, CAF made it clear that Cameroon would host the 2021 edition instead, leaving them enough time to continue with their infrastructure delays. This meant that the original hosts for 2021 and 2023 would have to delay their tournaments. Guinea has already accepted the move from 2023 to 2025, while Ivory Coast, which was named as the 2021 edition, has objected and is said to have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. This would be the fifth time Egypt hosts the Africa Cup of Nations, having staged it in 1957, 1974, 1986 and 2006. Egypt has also won the ACN, the most prestigious sports event in Africa, a record seven times.
