Côte d’Ivoire Withdraws from Hosting the U20 AFCON 2025

In a surprising turn of events, Côte d’Ivoire has announced its withdrawal from hosting the U20 Africa Cup of Nations, which was scheduled to take place from April 26 to May 18, 2025—just one month before kickoff.

According to local media reports, the Ivorian Football Federation has officially informed the Confederation of African Football (CAF) of the government’s decision to step down from organizing the tournament.

In an official letter, Federation President Yacine Idriss Diallo confirmed that the authorities had made this decision, which was communicated to the CAF General Secretariat on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.

Diallo acknowledged the efforts made in the tournament’s preparations and stated that CAF would soon announce its next steps regarding the competition’s future.

This unexpected withdrawal presents a major challenge for CAF, as it now needs to find a replacement host in a short time frame.

Furthermore, the decision directly affects Côte d’Ivoire’s U20 national team, which was set to qualify automatically as the host nation but is now excluded from the competition.

Meanwhile, the tournament draw had placed Morocco in Group B alongside Nigeria, Egypt, and South Africa. The final venue for the competition remains uncertain.