The African Football Confederation (CAF) has switched the dates of the following African Cup of Nations finals to January 2024, six months later than scheduled, the ruling body's president Patrice Motsepe stated on Sunday.
He additionally introduced the advent of an African Super League subsequent season, on the way to be officially released on August 10.
Both selections had been made at a CAF assembly in Morocco and could in all likelihood spark controversy, drastically the Cup of Nations dates which once more conflict with membership commitments for a few of the gamers.
The finals had been because of be performed in June subsequent 12 months withinside the Ivory Coast, which stays as host.
But issues over the climate in west Africa in mid-12 months have dictated a change.
"We took plenty of recommendation and we determined we can't take a threat," Motsepe informed a information conference.
"We don’t need to run the threat of that our pinnacle opposition goes to be washed out."
He did now no longer solution a query approximately why it had taken goodbye for CAF to make the change, given it were warned of the wet season while it turned into introduced it might take vicinity in mid-2023.
CAF moved the web website hosting of its continental championship to mid-12 months in 2019 to keep away from the membership as opposed to united states of america tussle for its pinnacle gamers.
But climate issues and the Covid-19 pandemic prompted the ultimate version to be performed in Cameroon in January, reigniting lawsuits from golf equipment in Europe pressured to surrender their African gamers to countrywide responsibility in mid-season.
"January isn't always the great time due to the fact the European golf equipment do now no longer need to launch their gamers however we don't have any choice," Motsepe added.
He hinted that CAF might now be capable of put off qualifying fits scheduled for September to permit it is 5 World Cup finals representatives a hazard to prepare harder friendlies in opposition to international locations from different continents as a part of their build-up for Qatar.
"We need to do the entirety feasible to assist our countrywide groups who're going to Qatar," Motsepe stated.
He refused to provide any information about the make-up of the brand new Super League, which he stated might now no longer update Africa’s present Champions League.
He stated there might be a release on the CAF Congress in Arusha, Tanzania in August.
"We are going to have a complete revision of all membership furnishings for all of the competitions," he added.
An African Super League has been mooted for numerous years, first proposed through Fifa president Gianni Infantino who insisted it might lure greater sponsors to the African game.
The idea has met with a muted reaction in Africa in assessment to the fervent competition to a comparable inspiration in Europe ultimate 12 months, which fast scuppered the idea.
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