NAIROBI, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia and Morocco will be considered to replace Kenya as the new host for the 2018 African Nations Championship (Chan).
Kenya was dropped as the host on Sept. 23 during a CAF congress in Accra, Ghana, despite winning the bid back in 2014 because it fell behind schedule to deliver on the required stadia.
The continental body then opened the bidding and the three countries were able to beat the Oct 30 deadline to hand in their intend bids.
The CAF Executive Committee is expected to declare by Oct. 9 their decision on whether they will tour all three countries to ascertain their status and preparedness to step in and host the event, which is due in January.
"At the end of the deadline for submission of applications on Saturday, Sept 30, three federations had submitted their bids to the General Secretariat of CAF for the organization of the 2018 African Nations Championship. They are Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia and Morocco," a statement sent to the Press from CAF read.
Kenya had been selected as hosts of the 16-team tournament in 2014, but failed to convince the African football chiefs of their capability to host the competition.
After three inspections, the CAF Executive Committee decided to strip the country of the right to host the event.
The 16-team tournament for locally-based players only, is scheduled to take place between January 12 and February 4, 2018.
It is the second time Kenya has lost the right to stage an African football competition after being replaced by South Africa as 1996 Africa Cup of Nations hosts.
CAF President Ahmad Ahmad declared Kenya unfit to host the continental second tier competition due to lack of the requisite stadium facilities in the country, untruthfulness on the part of government and sports leaders, as well as the hot political climate currently gripping the country. Kenya is set to hold a repeat Presidential poll on Oct. 26.
Already all the 15 teams for the tournament have been decided. They are Burkina Faso, Guinea, Republic of Congo, Libya, Morocco, Cameroon, Nigeria, Zambia, Uganda, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritania, Sudan, Cote d'Ivoire and Namibia.
