CAF President Urges Nigeria to Bid for World Cup Hosting

The President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, has urged Nigeria to consider bidding for the hosting rights of the World Cup.

He said this during the final press conference of the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) which took place at the Main Media Centre at Palace de la Culture, Cote d’Ivoire.

“Nigeria must put in a bid,” Motsepe declared. “The Nigerian president is coming to watch the final on Sunday. I will have a conversation with him about it.”

The CAF president emphasised Nigeria’s potential as a future World Cup host. He used the success of South Africa’s World cup hosting in 2010 to argue for the continent’s ability to organise and host a world-class tournament.

Motsepe’s call for Nigeria to bid for the hosting rights comes as Morocco, alongside Portugal and Spain, prepares to jointly host the 2030 edition, marking a significant milestone in the tournament’s history.

Nigeria have hosted international football events, notably the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2009.

As anticipation builds for the AFCON final showdown between Nigeria and host country Cote d’Ivoire, Motsepe’s backing for Nigeria to pursue the World Cup bid illustrates the continent’s aspirations to develop African football to the highest quality.

Nigeria bidding to host the World Cup would be great for the country but, with the current situation of the country, is Nigeria ready economically and otherwise to host the biggest sporting tournament in the world?

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