The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, known as the Total 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, is scheduled to be the 32nd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations. The biennial international men’s football championship of Africa organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The tournament will be hosted by Egypt. The competition will be held from 21 June to 19 July 2019. As per the decision of the CAF Executive Committee on 20 July 2017 to move the Africa Cup of Nations from January/February to June/July for the first time. It will also be the first Africa Cup of Nations expanded from 16 to 24 teams.
The Total 2019 Africa Cup of Nations
The tournament was initially scheduled to be hosted by Cameroon. Cameroon would have hosted the competition for the first time since 1972. They were also the title holders after winning the previous edition. On 30 November 2018, Cameroon was stripped of hosting the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations .Due to delays in the delivery of infrastructure, the Boko Haram insurgency and the Anglophone Crisis. On 8 January 2019, Egypt was chosen by the CAF Executive Committee as the host nation of the competition. The tournament has also been moved from the original dates of 15 June – 13 July to 21 June – 19 July due to Ramadan.
It was expected that Cameroon will host this edition but it was sidelined by the CAF on 30 November 2018 in Accra, Ghana for non-compliance with the specifications. CAF announced that they would be receiving applications for the new hosts until 14 December 2018.
The organization of the competition was finally awarded to Egypt on 8 January 2019 by the CAF Executive Committee meeting in Dakar, Senegal. Voters had a choice between two countries after Morocco’s sports minister confirmed that his country was not interested in hosting:
Egypt and South Africa.
North Africa will host the tournament for the first time in 13 years after being hosted by Egypt also in 2006.
This is the fifth time that Egypt will host the African Cup after 1959, 1974, 1986 and the 2006 to become the country that has hosted it for the most times in the continent.
Sponsorship
In July 2016, Total has secured an eight-year sponsorship package from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to support 10 of its principal competitions. Total started with the Africa Cup of Nations that was held in Gabon in 2017 therefore renaming it Total Africa Cup of Nations.
Mascot
Tut, the official mascot of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations
The Organizing Committee of the 2019 African Cup of Nations revealed the AFCON 2019 Mascot. The child “Tut” which is inspired by the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun. His kit bear resemblance to the Egypt’s home colors with the map of Africa visible on his shirt as well as the tournament’s logo.
Venues
With the Africa Cup of Nations expanded from 16 to 24 teams, at least six venues were expected to be used.
After being awarded the bid, initially Egypt chose eight stadiums to host the tournament. The eight stadiums were Cairo International Stadium and Al Salam Stadium in Cairo, Alexandria Stadium and Haras El Hodoud Stadium in Alexandria, Egyptian Army Stadium and Suez Stadium in Suez, Ismailia Stadium in Ismailia and Al Masry Club Stadium in Port Said. Later, Al Salam Stadium was replaced with 30 June Stadium. Which is another stadium located in Cairo. It was expected that the famous Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria and Osman Ahmed Osman Stadium in Cairo would be used in the tournament, but they weren’t selected.
On 17 February 2019, it was confirmed that only six stadiums will be used. The six venues are Cairo International Stadium and 30 June Stadium in Cairo, Alexandria Stadium in Alexandria, Suez Stadium in Suez, Ismailia Stadium in Ismailia and Al Masry Club Stadium in Port Said.
However on 13 March 2019, Al Masry Club Stadium in Port Said. And it was replaced by Al Salam Stadium in Cairo after discovering a problem with one of the stadium’s main stands.
Contact us to secure fuel , Egypt landing permits, and ground handling services for these locations:
Cairo International Airport (ICAO: HECA, IATA: CAI)
Alexandria, Borg El Arab International Airport (ICAO: HEBA, IATA: HBE)
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