CAF, FIFA Under Attack on Social Media as Uncertainty Grows over Afcon 2021

• The 2021 African Cup of Nations tournament is a source of contention, with doubts increasing about it going ahead
• CAF president Patrice Motsepe has no doubt about its status and potential success, while FIFA president Gianni Infantino believed it must be postponed
• Infantino's opinion angered social media in Mzansi and others on the continent, with many considering him arrogant and disrespectful

Dark clouds of uncertainty continue to swirl over next month’s African Cup of Nations tournament.

The tournament starts on the on 09 January 2022, with reservations among interested parties threatening the event’s status.

As reported in Sports Brief, one of them includes European clubs threatening to not release their African players, citing Covid-19 protocol complications. The tournament had traditionally taken place during January on a two-year cycle, a previous point of contention for the Europeans as they lost their players during the busiest part of their season.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) then moved the tournament to the June-July window starting in 2019 to become more accommodating of the global football calendar. Unfavourable weather conditions as well as the Covid-19 pandemic forced two postponements, resulting in next month’s selection as the best time hold the event.

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CAF president Patrice Motsepe was forced to jet into Cameroon to allay fears that the tournament would not go ahead, despite FIFA president Gianni Infantino being of the opinion that it be postponed again.

Motsepe was quoted in the BBC saying that his organisation and the host country were determined to make the competition a success.

He said:

"I will be in Cameroon on 7 January with my wife and kids to witness this incredible competition," Motsepe insisted on Monday. "You can see that there's a huge commitment and a focus to make sure that there's good progress. "We are going to host with the people of Cameroon an exceptional tournament. It will be the most successful Afcon. We are ready to show the world the best of African football and African hospitality.”

Social media’s response to the matter was skeptical and, at times, vicious.

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@Lesiba_str8 said:

"Africa and this man will be let down by that useless fraudulent CAF president Patrice Motsepe. He's nothing but Infantino's toy boy."

@duke_robin said:

"So really, Afcon might be canceled just three weeks before it starts. This is what you get when you take decisions and Fifa president is in those assemblies. Infantino doesn’t care about Africa and I don’t understand why Mr Motsepe leans on him all the time."

FIFA president Infantino wants 2021 Afcon postponed as stunning reason emerges

Gianni Infantino, president of the world's football governing body FIFA, has reportedly backed the move for the 2021 African Cup of Nations in Cameroon to be postponed.

As reported on Sports Brief, African nations are currently in top gear preparing for the continent's biggest tournament, where Algeria will defend their title having defeated Senegal in 2019.

There have been talks of postponing the tournament for the third time as some European clubs are also not happy about releasing their players for the event.