This archive report was first published on 9 January 2022.
January 9, 2022, marked the start of the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon, a tournament that has been marred by controversy and uncertainty. The event, which has been twice postponed, first in 2019 and again in January 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, has raised concerns over the readiness of the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde.
Cameroon was awarded the finals in 2014 and built new stadiums in Bafoussam, Douala, Limbe, and Yaounde, but works on the showpiece Olembe Stadium continued right up to the start of the tournament, sparking major concerns and contention.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) held an emergency meeting last month to discuss cancelling the tournament due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus and the potential impact it might have on the event.
However, it was decided to proceed with the tournament, despite much disagreement. The timing of the tournament, in the middle of the club season in Europe, drew the ire of clubs who sought its cancellation, citing concerns over possible quarantine for players returning from Africa to Europe once their participation at the finals was complete.
Managers like Liverpool's Juergen Klopp have been irritated by the fact they have to give up key players at a crucial juncture of their season. The Cup of Nations is being played in January because of the heavy mid-year rainy season in Cameroon, but will revert back to a June-July slot when Ivory Coast host the next finals in 2023.
The 2025 finals have been awarded to Guinea, but CAF will discuss this week whether the country is able to host the tournament. Africa's support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino's proposal to change the frequency of the World Cup to every two years threatens the Cup of Nations, which is already biennial.
