17:00 hrs kick off time for CAN

All matches for the 2008 African Cup of Nations to be hosted by Ghana are to kick off at 17:00 GMT.

The confirmation of the match times submitted by Ghana's Local Organising Committee – LOC, has received the endorsement of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) with almost nine months to the competition.

CAF general secretary, Mustapha Fahmy, in a response to the LOC welcomed the draft match times as "positive steps and exceptionally welcome."

The CAF general secretary added: "CAF's approval of the fixtures even at this stage of the organization of the tourney that spans January 20-February 10 affirmed the expectation that CAF already has for a very successful championship to be hosted in Ghana.

"This, in addition to all the good reports that have been received about the accelerated projects in Ghana to meet all set deadlines, suggests that Ghana is at the implementation stages of all the programmes lined up towards the commencement of the tournament in January, 2008."

Ghana would be hosting its fourth Nations Cup tournament next year after having staged the competition in 1963, 1978 and 2000 which it co-hosted with Nigeria.