Skip to content

Host of 2017 Africa Cup of Nations to be chosen from Algeria, Gabon and Ghana

Ivory Coast's players celebrate with the trophy at the end of the 2015 African Cup of Nations final
Image: Ivory Coast will be the defending champions in 2017.

The host of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals will be decided on Wednesday, with Algeria, Gabon or Ghana the candidates to take over from war-torn Libya when the Confederation of African Football's executive committee votes.

All three countries, which have previously hosted the tournament, have sent ministerial delegations to deliver last-minute presentations to the committee before the vote.

Libya were due to host the tournament in 2017 but withdrew last year as a civil war has brought all football in the country to a halt.

Gabon, who co-hosted the 2012 finals with neighbours Equatorial Guinea, are the favourites to win the vote.

"We are up against some tough contenders but we think we have a good chance," Gabon Football Federation president Pierre-Alain Mounguengui told reporters.

Ghana hosted the finals in 1963, 1978 and 2008 and co-hosted in 2000 with Nigeria as late replacements when Zimbabwe were stripped of the right to hold the event.

Algeria hosted the tournament in 1990 when they won their only continental title.

CAF will also conduct the draw for the qualifying competition on Wednesday.

Around Sky