The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has denied reports that it submitted a formal bid to co-host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with Benin Republic.
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According to NFF Vice President Felix Anyansi Agwu, such arrangement is not in place.
“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.”
Recall that 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.
Ivory Coast will host the 2023 edition to be played in January 2024.
So far, Zambia, Morocco, and Algeria are the only nations that have applied for the rights to host the biennial competition.
Nigeria are currently chasing a 2023 Afcon ticket; the qualifiers will resume in March.
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