Africa Cup of Nations in 2023 pushed back six months because of weather concerns

The Africa Cup of Nations scheduled to be held in June and July next year in Ivory Coast has been pushed back to January-February 2024 in a bid to avoid the rainy season, it was announced Sunday.

Patrice Motsepe, head of the African football confederation (CAF) said the body didn't want to take the risk of staging the tournament "under a deluge".

Speaking at a CAF executive committee meeting in Morocco, playing host to the women's Cup of Nations, Motsepe said: "We cannot take that risk.

"January is not the ideal time because European clubs are not keen to release some of their best players.

"As it is now we really have no choice, it's the only time we have in terms of developing and growing African football."