Rabat – Liberia’s President George Weah has expressed his country’s “full” and “strong” support for Morocco’s bid to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
“The Liberian Leader has already expressed his ‘fullest and strong’ support for the Moroccan bid instead, which he has further emphasized to the Government of Morocco,” a statement from Liberia’s government said on Thursday.
Emphasizing Morocco and Liberia’s strong relations, Weah stressed his commitment to fully support Morocco. Demonstrating his loyalty, he announced that he has begun campaigning for Morocco with football stakeholders around the continent.
“I have made this commitment to King Mohammed VI. It is cast in stone,” he added, noting Morocco’s historic World Cup run in Qatar.
Weah, who was a former professional football player, said Morocco brought “immense pride to Africa” during the 2022 World Cup.
In addition to Liberia, Botswana publicly expressed its support last year for Morocco’s bid to host AFCON.
“Morocco has made a bid to host the 2025 AFCON Men’s final, and Botswana will [give] them the support it needs to be successful,” Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi announced last year on Twitter.
In October 2022, Morocco’s news agency MAP cited a source close to Morocco’s Football Federation (FRMF) confirming that the North African country intends to propose its candidacy to host the continental tournament.
Morocco has not hosted AFCON since 1988.
In addition to Morocco, Algeria also confirmed last year its intention to submit its bid to host the tournament.
The decision came after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) withdrew the hosting rights from Guinea due to a lack of infrastructure and equipment in order for the country to host the competition.
It remains to be seen whether Algeria’s bid will secure support in Africa following the African Nations Championship (CHAN) controversy.
Algeria has deprived the Moroccan national football team of participating in CHAN after refusing to issue a permit that would allow the official carrier of the Atlas Lions to transport the squad directly from Rabat to Constantine to take part in the tournament.
Algeria also politicized the competition after inviting Nelson Mandela’s grandson, Zwelivelile Mandela, who made hostile political remarks against Morocco to challenge its territorial integrity over its southern provinces in Western Sahara during CHAN’s opening ceremony.
Distancing itself from the political remarks, CAF said it opened an investigation into the political statement and racist comments made against Morocco and its citizens during the opening ceremony of CHAN.
