Zimbabwe loses bid to host 2010 African Cup of Nations finals

By Tichaona Sibanda
15 May 2006

Zimbabwe’s bid to host the 2010 Confederation of African Football finals failed on the first hurdle when CAF rejected the bid together with those from Mozambique, Namibia and Senegal.

Instead CAF named Libya, Angola, Nigeria and a joint bid from Gabon and Equatorial Guinea on its shortlist to host the 2010 Nations Cup. Officials from CAF heard a total of eight bids at its headquarters in Egypt on Sunday and eventually rejected four.

Our correspondent Themba Nkosi said Zimbabwe’s bid was doomed from the start considering that having won the right to host the event at the turn of the millennium, CAF withdrew the rights, citing late preparations and lack of a government guarantee. It was the third time ZIFA had tried to host the event with attempts in 2000 and 2004.

Both Libya and Nigeria have hosted the African Cup of Nations in the past, while it would be a first for Angola as well as Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. A BBC Sport report said inspectors from CAF will now visit all four of the shortlisted nations between July and August this year.
The inspectors will provide a detailed report on each country on such things as stadiums, security, transport and communications.

The eventual hosts for the 2010 Nations Cup will made by the CAF executive committee at its meeting in September this year.