In a surprising turn of events, the Ivory Coast government has formally decided not to host the Africa U20 Cup of Nations.
The decision came through an official letter sent to the nation’s football governing body, which in turn notified the Confederation of African Football (CAF) of the unfortunate withdrawal.
Originally slated to take place between April 26 and May 18, 2025, the youth tournament was set to bring another vibrant chapter of African football to the West African nation—a role Ivory Coast had previously embraced by hosting the successful 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
However, the government has now cited unforeseen challenges that make it impossible to stage the biennial event.
This abrupt move has dealt a significant blow to CAF, which now faces the urgent task of identifying a new host country just weeks before the tournament’s scheduled start.
Sources indicate that if a replacement cannot be found in the coming days, CAF may have no choice but to postpone the competition.