Cameroon was stripped of the right to host the 2019 African Cup of Nations in December last year due to both delays in its preparations for the cup and the persistence of violent uprisings near two of the planned venues.
Following the decision on stripping the West African nation of the right to host, CAF opened a new bidding process, with Morocco and South Africa the initial favourites.
However, upon Morocco’s decision not to launch an official bid, Egypt stepped in and along with South Africa, were the only two countries to submit their candidacy to become 2019 host.
Egypt last organized the prestigious African tournament in 2006, where they lifted the coveted title for the fifth time in their illustrious history.
This year’s edition has seen major innovations, with the tournament expanded to 24 teams up from 16, and moved to a summer schedule instead of its former January-February calendar.
Meanwhile, CAF gave Cameroon the right to host the 2021 African Cup of Nations in hopes that its preparations will be completed by then.
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