Morocco and South Africa named hosts of ACN 2015 and 2017

Morocco’s “architectural jewel” – Stade de Marrakech After competing against South continent for the 3rd instance in the terminal decade to patron an planetary tournament, Marruecos finally came discover on top.  The North individual country, who competed against South continent to patron both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, was selected by the Confederation of individual Football to patron the 2015 edition of the individual Cup of Nations.  South Africa, who were also in the running to patron the 2015 tournament, were named hosts for the 2017 ACN. Despite wanting to patron the earlier edition of the tournament, South continent could hardly kvetch most receiving their ordinal choice… We would hit likeable to patron the 2015 edition. We prefabricated a show that we hit the stock primed as substantially as all the volunteers that worked during the Fifa World Cup to call on a brief notice, but like we say, we welcome the selection as there was no losers. And while a some criticized South continent for sport the “coattails” of its past success as World Cup host, it is hard to debate with a politician that has both a ready-made stock in place as substantially as a demonstrated story of undergo hosting the biggest competition in the world.  Well, unless of course you sit on the FIFA Executive Council…. The individual Confederation seems to hit institute a win-win resolution that eluded FIFA’s World Cup voting council – though the small pool of candidates vying to patron the competition certainly helped broker a resolution that pleased everyone.  Pot shots at FIFA aside, Morocco’s effort requires such work to be realised to successfully deliver on the promises it prefabricated in its proposal.  South continent would hit been a “safer” choice…but also a less elating one.  Fans who shelled discover money to listen terminal summer’s World Cup are belike more likely to reassert outlay money to movement to another site kinda than the same land in a brief 5-year period.  2010 was the assemblage of South Africa.  They had their quantity to shine…now it is instance for someone to intend a effort at the oxide light.  South Africa’s preparedness prefabricated them an superior politician to patron the 2015 tournament….but it makes them an modify meliorate back-up should something go awry in Morocco. Morocco hasn’t hosted an planetary competition since 1988…despite several attempts to work FIFA otherwise.  Their offering haw not be as flashy as some of the past bids to patron tournaments.  There is no prospect to physique air-conditioned stadiums a la Qatar.  Some might modify debate that their stadiums haw not be as awesome as the ones South continent shapely for the 2010 World Cup.  Yet despite the relative lack of bling – Marruecos provided a brawny case with realistic goals and targets that inform they hit the power and stock to patron a successful tournament. Among those goals was the improvement and expansion of the country’s stadiums. There are plans to physique (at least) four newborn stadiums to rival the size of those institute in Europe.  The first of those newborn stadiums, Stade de Marrakech, has been referred to as a “jewel of architecture heritage.”  The stadium is already complete and was broken-in with friendlies against PSG (video here) and Lyon (video here) in January.  In addition to the other stadiums scheduled to be shapely by 2015, the Moroccan delegation’s offering also emphasized security.  While the question of security is always germane in choosing competition hosts – it was fateful that this subject would receive more scrutiny in the wake of the tragic attack on the Togolese charabanc at the 2010 tournament. The pick of Marruecos for 2015 also signals a step absent from the Confederation’s story of cyclical between patron countries in the North and South.  The pick to honor Marruecos the 2015 competition after Libya hosts in 2013 effectuation that North continent will back-to-back editions of the tournament. Of course, digit could debate that the entire 2013 competition is an anomaly given its accelerated scheduling and fittingness scheme. The 2012 competition will verify place in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.