TANZANIA BIDS FOR 2017 AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS, AFTER LIBYA'S WITHDRAWAL

TANZANIA Football Federation (TFF) has submitted an official bid to host the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) following Libya's withdrawal.

TFF Secretary General Selestine Mwesigwa told reporters in Dar es Salaam on Monday that the Executive Committee met on August 24 this year and decided to apply to host the continent's top soccer showpiece in 2017.

He elaborated that after Libya decided not to host the competition, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Secretary General Hicham El Amrani dispatched a circular to all 54 member associations informing them of the decision and invited new bidders for the tournament.

According to El Amrani, a Libyan delegation led by the country's Minister for Youth and Sports, which included the president of the Libyan Football Federation, revealed in a meeting with CAF President Issa Hayatou last week that owing to the unstable security situation in the country, it would not be able to host the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

The meeting took place on August 22, 2014 at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. "We understand very clearly that there are some conditions for a country to host the competition but we believe this is a special case and CAF will consider our request," Mwesigwa said.

In addition to the government guarantee, and considering the limited time left for the organisation of the 2017 edition, the CAF Executive Committee will select a host country whose dossier guarantees that accommodation, transportation and hotels facilities, as well as training sites and stadiums already exist.

Another condition is that a hosting nation must have conducted one youth tournament before. CAF said that countries wishing to host the tournament have until September 30 this year to express their interest. The host country will be chosen at a meeting of the Executive Committee in 2015.

"The designation will be made according to the statutory provisions of CAF, especially in conformity with articles 27 to 47 of the Regulations Governing the Application of CAF Statutes, El Amrani said.