Ethiopia will bid to host the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) president Juneidi Basha has confirmed.
“Ethiopia, the CHAN 2020 host, will bid to host African Cup of Nations in 2015,”the 55-year-old member of FIFA marketing and television and CAF organizing standing committees posted on his official Twitter page.
Basha is appealing for full “backing” from the citizens and the government, “We seek the full backing of our people and government.”
The largest land locked country in the world, with the second largest population in Africa (over 100 million people) after Nigeria, will be banking on recent massive infrastructural development, which includes, modern stadiums, modern railway network and top class hotels to boost their bid.
They have completed construction of four international standards stadiums in Mekelle, Bahirdar, Woldia and Hawassa, and are currently building 60-thousand capacity Addis Ababa stadium in the capital.
Additional stadiums are coming up in Harar, Nekmete, Adama, Jimma and Asosa.
In October this year, Ethiopia launched the first fully electrified cross-border railway line in Africa to add to already existing network.
The 1962 champions last staged the continental showpiece in 1976 – failing to get past the group phase.
Ethiopia, a member of CECAFA hosted highly acclaimed 2015 “Challenge Cup” (regional championship) – which witnessed massive crowd turnout in almost all matches; the national team “the Walia Ibex” pulled full house at 60-thousand capacity Bahirdar each time they took to the field.
Gabon hosts the next AFCON in January 2017, followed by Cameroon in 2019, Ivory Coast in 2021 and Guinea in 2023.
