Nigerian Govt Backs Bid To Host AFCON 2027

The Honourable Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh, will attend the Confederation of African Football Executive Committee meeting in Cairo, Egypt, as the nation solidifies its bid to host the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament for the first time since 1980. Nigeria and the Republic of Benin presented a joint bid to host the tournament.

The Minister and the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation, (NFF) will be attending the meeting as representatives of the Federal Government of Nigeria. During the meeting, Nigeria will present to the Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football, (CAF) in Cairo, Egypt. Senator Owan Enoh is attending the meeting alongside top members of the Nigeria Football Federation.

All countries who submitted bids to host the AFCON tournament in 2025 and 2027 respectively are expected to attend the meeting during which the Independent Assessment Committee of CAF will submit their reports for assessment and discussions by CAF EXCO. The CAF team had previously visited Nigeria to assess facilities at different proposed host venues around the nation.

The Nigerian delegation includes the Permanent Secretary, the Federal Ministry of Sports Development, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, General Secretary of the NFF, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi and bid coordinator, Mallam Mainasara Ilo.

Nigeria will make a ten (10) minute presentation to the CAF EXCO and after that will be allocated time to answer questions from its presentation.

The meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 27, 2023.