FIFA Suggests Changes for Dates of AFCON, Social Media Divided by the Idea

• FIFA president Gianni Infantino believes the decision to change the dates that AFCON will take place will benefit players and clubs alike and quell the club vs country debate
• Infantino also suggested that the FIFA World Cup be played every two years in a bid to boost Africa's hopes of hosting
• Social media users remain divided over FIFA's plans with some questioning if they take African football into consideration

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has caused a division among diehard football fans over his suggestion that AFCON be played at year-end.

"If we can streamline the calendar and make sure that an Africa Cup of Nations could be played as part of a longer international window in the autumn, then I think we would have already achieved something quite important," Infantino said, according to BBC Sport.

He added that FIFA was also working on having two possible time periods for future tournaments, allowing the host nation to decide what would suit them best, because of the different weather conditions at the different times of the year.

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Infantino believes that making the change will also ease the club vs country row, which rears its head whenever major tournaments clash with league fixtures.

The decision has left Twitter dived after football journalist @garyalsmith shared what the FIFA President had to say.

Some were against the decision, saying:

@RigobertTakue

"Some African countries have terrible weather in June-July, especially those of North, Central and West Africa. Southern Africa has the perfect weather in June since it is winter and we have no problem. At last Afcon Egypt the weather was terrible for players with more rainfall."

Other users were a bit more sympathetic towards Infantino:

@Moskiflow

"Well, he's not wrong. I've always wondered why we don't have our AFCON around June... Could the weather be a factor????"

@TagGh233

"As much as his comments are from a Eurocentric stand point. AFCONs should be held in summer where most football leagues are on break. The middle of January is just an inconvenience to everyone, including the players themselves."

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The FIFA President also suggested that the FIFA World Cup be held every two years, allowing African countries more chance of hosting it. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has also backed the idea.

AFCON organisers make crucial decision about 2022 edition amid cancellation claims

Sports Brief's sister website, Briefly News, earlier reported that organisers of the African Cup of Nations decided to go ahead with the tournament as earlier planned, despite claims the 2022 edition could be cancelled over the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

There were fears the delayed competition could be called off after organisers were reportedly alarmed over the variant.

However, a spokesman for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has clarified there are no plans to postpone the tournament and it will go on as earlier planned.