Africa set for first June Afcon in 2023

In 2023, Africa will most certainly have a Nations Cup in June for the first time ever.

That seems to have been set in stone, as comments on Wednesday from world football governing body, Fifa, showed an agreement with the Confederation of African Football on the matter.

"The African confederation has automatically and nicely agreed it will not organise the Nations Cup in January 2023," Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke said.

"It will have to postpone the Africa Cup of Nations to June."

The executive committee of the world governing body is expected to decide on the new dates for World Cup next month following a recommendation by a Fifa task force.

It was decided that the original June-July dates for the global event would be untenable because the high temperatures in Qatar at the time would make it unsafe for both players and fans.

The other dates under consideration are seen to be less appealing. A January-February tournament would clash with the Winter Olympics, while the Muslim holy month of the Ramadan begins shortly afterwards in April. Hot conditions then prevail from May to September.

"We are all making a number of concessions to make sure that this World Cup can be played, for the players, for the fans, for the media, for whoever is attending the World Cup in the best conditions," Valcke added. "It is not perfect, we know that."

Guinea, who are slated to host the Afcon in 2023 is geographically very wet in the middle of the year, with daily rainfall records not abnormal.

Caf has always held the Nations Cup in the early part of the year to avoid the rainy midyear conditions across much of the continent.

In response to some big European clubs trying to lobby for compensation due to the certain disruption to their leagues at the time, Valcke says there will be no such thing.

"There will be no compensation. There are seven years to reorganize. We are in agreement with the clubs. Story by Ghana/Joy Sports/Gary Al-Smith