STARS IN THE UAE - MOROCCO - ASSAIDI MOVES FROM LIVERPOOL TO DUBAI

Liverpool winger Oussama Assaidi's disappointing spell at Anfield is over after he joined Al Ahli Club in Dubai.

13 Jan 2015
STARS IN EUROPE - IVORY COAST - BONY JOINS MAN CITY

Wilfried Bony - Swansea agree £28m deal with Man City

12 Jan 2015
2015 AFRICA CUP - SOUTH AFRICA - COACH MASHABA CALLS UP GCABA

Orlando Pirates defender Ayanda Gcaba was called up to replace injured team-mate Patrick Phungwayo for South Africa's 2015 Africa Cup of Nations squad on Sunday.

12 Jan 2015
2015 AFRICA CUP - SENEGAL - SADIO MANE INCLUDED IN SQUAD

Senegal coach Alain Giresse has included Sadio Mane in his final squad for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations despite his calf injury.

11 Jan 2015
2015 AFRICA CUP - CAMEROON - FINKE STICKS WITH CORE GROUP

Cameroon coach Volker Finke has kept faith with the players he used in the qualifiers in his final 23-man squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.

10 Jan 2015
2015 AFRICA CUP - CONGO - LE ROY FINALISES SQUAD

Congo coach Claude LeRoy has finalised his squad for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations after cutting three players from the provisional list.

10 Jan 2015
2015 AFRICA CUP - TUNISIA - MIKARI & TOUZGHAR CUT FROM SQUAD

Striker Yoann Touzghar and defender Yassine Mikari have not made it into Tunisia's final squad for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

10 Jan 2015
2015 AFRICA CUP - EQUATORIAL GUINEA - SQUAD ANNOUNCED

Africa Cup of Nations hosts Equatorial Guinea have included 14 players who were born in Spain in their final 23-man squad for the tournament.

9 Jan 2015
2015 AFRICA CUP - ZAMBIA - KALABA TO LEAD NATIONAL TEAM

Zambia coach Honour Janza has given the captain's armband to Rainford Kalaba after naming his 23-man squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.

8 Jan 2015

2015 AFRICA CUP - MOROCCO WILL NOT HOST FINALS OVER EBOLA FEARS

AFRICA CUP 2015 AFRICA CUP 2015 QUALIFIERS

Morocco will not host the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations because of its fears over the Ebola outbreak elsewhere on the continent, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed.

CAF expelled Morocco, who would have qualified as hosts, from the finals.

It did not announce a new venue for the tournament, due to take place from 17 January to 8 February.

But BBC Sport understands three nations have expressed an interest and the new host will be confirmed on Wednesday.

Morocco had been given until Saturday to make a final decision on whether or not it would host the tournament.

It had asked to postpone the competition until 2016.

Egypt has stated it will not host the tournament for "economic and political reasons", while 2013 and 2008 hosts South Africa and Ghana have also ruled themselves out of contention.

WHO WILL STEP IN AS HOST?

Gabon, who co-hosted in 2012 with Equatorial Guinea, has been mentioned, but they only have two stadiums available.

Angola hosted in 2010 and have the stadia and the financial ability to host at short notice.

Tunisia hosted in 2004 and has the venues, but recent political turmoil and violence at football matches might count them out.

Algeria is one of seven nations who have said they want to host the 2017 tournament and are the only ones who might be in a position to host earlier.

Nigeria has the stadia after hosting the under-17 World Cup in 2009 and a brand new facility in Akwa-Ibom state.

But presidential elections are set for a week after the tournament.

UNDERSTANDING THE EBOLA VIRUS AND HOW YOU CAN AVOID IT 

How the Ebola outbreak has affected African football

Qualification matches for the tournament will continue as planned on 14 and 15 November to decide which 15 teams will join the new host country for the finals.

Up to 4 November, at least 4,960 people had been reported as having died from Ebola, mainly in the West African countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.

Nigeria won the last tournament held in South Africa in 2013

Morocco had expressed fears an influx of foreign fans could help spread the epidemic.

The North African country is scheduled to host Fifa's Club World Cup  next month, featuring Champions League winners Real Madrid.

It said it was willing to continue with its hosting duties for that tournament because it did not expect many supporters to travel from Ebola-affected regions.

The two African teams playing in the Club World Cup are from Morocco and Algeria.

 

12 Nov 2014
(BBC Sport UK and Nick Cavell, BBC Sport)

Related countries

Related articles