Hosts confirmed for next two Africa Cup of Nations

Morocco has been awarded the hosting of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations finals, replacing Guinea who were stripped of the right to host the tournament last year.

Morocco won by default after Algeria, Zambia and a joint bid from Benin and Nigeria all withdrew before the vote of the Confederation of African Football's executive committee in Cairo on Wednesday.

The north African country was a runaway favourite and will see the decision as a boost to their hopes of co-hosting the 2030 World Cup with Portugal and Spain.

It is only the second time that Morocco will host Africa's most popular sporting event, almost four decades after the previous time in 1988.

Meanwhile, the tournament's 2027 rights were handed to a co-bid from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

It returns the finals to the East Africa region for the first time since 1976 as they beat Botswana, Egypt and Senegal in a vote. Algeria were also a candidate but withdrew on Tuesday.

Kenya had previously been awarded the hosting in 1996 but were stripped because of poor preparation. The country only recently had a long FIFA ban for government interference in the running of their football federation lifted.