Nigeria ‘Keen’ On 2015 AFCON Hosting

The vice president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Seyi Akinwunmi, has said the country could host the Africa Cup of Nations if asked by the Confederation of African Football, according to media reports.

Akinwunmi told Goal Nigeria has the capacity to host the continent’s biggest soccer tournament if Morocco withdraws from staging it due to fears over the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease.

While Morocco is considering the decision of passing up the opportunity to host the tournament, the CAF has already written to a few countries including Ghana and Egypt to ask if they can host the tournament.

Morocco asked CAF to postpone the tournament to a later date instead of its present January/February schedule but the governing body has rejected the idea.

“I think we are interested [in hosting the AFCON] Akinwunmi told Goal on Monday.

“It is not strictly the purview of the NFF alone but we have been asked [if we can host the competition] and we have said yes, why not?

“I think the National Sports Commission or the Federal Government is looking at the possibility of hosting the tournament,” said Akinwunmi who disclosed that CAF had not yet written to Nigeria on the matter.

South Africa has already turned down the opportunity to host the tournament with SAFA president Danny Jordaan saying: “The AFCON 2015 tournament will not be held here. That issue doesn’t exist. CAF must discuss this matter with Morocco.”

With the Super Eagles struggling to qualify for the 2015 tournament, hosting the competition would give the team automatic qualification to defend its African title on home soil.