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Egypt to host 2019 Africa Cup of Nations

January 8, 2019

Egypt has pipped South Africa to the hosting rights for this year's Africa Cup of Nations. Cameroon had been stripped of the tournament last year after planning and security concerns.

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An Egyptian football fan
Image: Reuters/D. Sagou

One of world football's biggest stars, Mohamed Salah, will get the chance to win glory for his nation on home soil this summer, after Egypt was awarded the rights to host the Africa Cup of Nations.

Egypt will stage the tournament for the fourth time, following earlier editions in 1974, 1986 and 2006. They are also the record winner of the tournament with seven titles, the last coming in 2010 when they defeated Ghana 1-0.

in the last edition in 2017, Salah and his teammates fell at the last hurdle, losing 2-1 to Cameroon after a last-minute winner.

Cameroon were hoping to host the 24-team tournament themselves, but were stripped of the rights in November due to serious delays in preparation and security concerns.

Egypt and South Africa were the only two nations to meet a mid-December deadline to enter the running to replace Cameroon. The Confederation of African Football chose Egypt at an executive board meeting in Dakar, Senegal, on Tuesday.

It will be the first time the tournament will feature 24 teams, with Madagascar and Mauritania already confirmed to make their debuts.

The final round of qualifiers for the tournament will be held in March, with 10 spots still to be decided.

js (Reuters, dpa)