By Victor Kanayo
Nigeria and Benin Republic have lost their bid to host the 2027 African Cup of Nations.
Instead, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has awarded the hosting right of the biennial soccer competition to Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania as co-hosts of the upcoming edition.
The decision was announced on Wednesday morning by CAF President Patrice Motsepe shortly after the body’s executive committee meeting held in Cairo, Egypt.
The three East African nations also brushed aside competition from Senegal, Zambia, Algeria, Egypt and Botswana.
Their joint bid is commonly known as the “Pamoja Bid”.
Nigeria’s only hosting of the AFCON was in 1980 when Christian Chukwu led the team to victory in front of enthusiastic home fans.
Nigeria’s joint hosting with Ghana ended in disappointment as Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions claimed the trophy at the National Stadium in Lagos.
