NFF's Anyansi-Agwu denies 2025 Nigeria Afcon bid alongside Benin
- Reports indicated Nigeria submitted bid to host Afcon
- NFF denies the information
- Zambia, Morocco, Algeria have submitted bids to host Afcon
WHAT HAPPENED: Reports had it that Nigeria has submitted a formal bid to co-host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
However, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) vice-president Anyansi-Agwu has denied this.
So far, Zambia, Morocco, and Algeria are the only nations that have applied for the rights to host the biennial competition.
WHAT HE SAID: "I am not aware of such a bid by Nigeria. In fact, I am just hearing this information for the first time," Anyansi-Agwu told The Guardian.
"I don’t think such an arrangement is in progress. I don’t know anything about the Afcon bid."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Guinea had initially been handed the rights to host the tournament but was later stripped of the privilege owing to infrastructural and facility concerns.
Nigeria had initially hosted the competition twice. The first time was in 1980 when the Super Eagles went on to win the tournament - their first title, defeating Algeria 3-0 in the final staged in Lagos.
In 2000, they co-hosted with Ghana; while the Black Stars fell in the quarters, the Super Eagles reached the final. They faced Cameroon but lost 4-3 in the penalty shoot-out after a 2-2 draw in regulation and extra time.
AND WHAT IS MORE: Ivory Coast will host the 2023 edition to be played in January 2024.
WHAT NEXT: Nigeria are currently chasing a 2023 Afcon ticket; the qualifiers will resume in March.