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2021 African Cup of Nations tournament to be played in January, here’s why

The Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot) has announced that the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations will this time begin on January 9.

U-Turn: 2021 AFCON moved back to January & February

Although the tournament is usually played in June and July, Fecafoot said the change was made due to the weather conditions in the country at that time of year.

"It (2021 Africa Cup of Nations) will be played in Cameroon from January 9 to February 6, 2021. Date changed for weather reasons at Cameroon's request," Fecafoot posted online.

The change will, hence, not clash with the expanded Club World Cup being held in China in June 2021.

The Confederation of African Football (Caf) officials agreed to the change at a meeting it had which included president Ahmad, on Wednesday, January 15, 2020, in Yaoundé.

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Caf explained that the change has been made at the request of Cameroon.

"We have reviewed the period of the competition as requested by the Cameroonian party due to unfavourable climatic conditions during the period initially slated," Caf's deputy general secretary Tony Baffoe read from a statement.

"After listening to the various arguments and viewpoints, and in particular from the Cameroonian meteorological authorities, the coaches and players; the representatives of the Afcon organising committee, which received the mandate from Caf Executive Committee to take the decision, has granted this request.

"A detailed reported shall be presented to the members of the Executive Committee during its next session on 6 February."

Background

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In November 2018, Cameroon was stripped of hosting the 2019 Nations Cup.

The move, according to Caf, was due to delays in the progress of Cameroon's preparations.

But Caf, after one month, announced that Cameroon had agreed to host the 2021 edition instead.

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