Spotlight on Cairo as African football bosses meet

JOHANNESBURG - The African football spotlight falls on Cairo this week with FIFA presidential hopefuls electioneering while a proposed rule change could extend the reign of CAF strongman Issa Hayatou.

Other CAF business includes choosing a host country for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations and making the qualifying draw for that competition.

There will also be a vote to select two African representatives for the FIFA executive committee.

AFP sport looks at the main items as leading African officials gather at a hotel near the Nile river.

FIFA PRESIDENCY HOPEFULS

FIFA president Sepp Blatter is sure to receive an emotional welcome on a continent where he enjoys massive support.

His three rivals for the top world football job -- Jordanian Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, Dutchman Michel van Praag and former Portugal star Luis Figo -- are also expected to seek support.

It would be a shock, though, if Blatter failed to garner virtually all 54 African votes in the May presidential election.

The Swiss brought the World Cup to Africa for the first time in 2010 and FIFA financial support helps keep afloat many national football federations.

SENIOR AGE LIMIT

CAF want to change a rule that prevents officials serving beyond 70, which would force Hayatou to step down as president in August next year.

There is little doubt that the proposal will be passed, allowing the tall Cameroonian to continue a reign that began in 1988.

He is the longest serving CAF boss, surpassing the 16 years of Ethiopian Ydnekatchew Tessema, who died in 1987.

Hayatou considers helping bring the 2010 World Cup to South Africa his greatest achievement and dreams of a World Cup-winning African team.

CUP OF NATIONS HOSTS

While Guinea were selected 2023 Cup of Nations hosts last year, a decision on who stages the edition two years from now will be made only this week.

Spiralling post-Moamer Kadhafi-era violence forced 2017 hosts Libya to withdraw last year and Algeria, Gabon, Ghana are bidding to replace them.

Recurring crowd trouble could count against Algeria and location might rule out Gabon as another central African state, Equatorial Guinea, were the 2015 hosts.

Ghana held a successful, goal-packed 2008 tournament, have the required four international-standard stadiums, and appear to tick all the boxes.

CUP OF NATIONS DRAW

Morocco and Tunisia will be among the entrants for the 2017 Cup of Nations qualifying draw scheduled to take place after the hosts are named Wednesday.

Having refused to host the 2015 tournament on the agreed dates because they feared visitors could bring the deadly Ebola virus into the country, Morocco were barred from the 2017 and 2019 Cup of Nations.

But a successful appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) allowed Morocco back into a competition they won for the only time 39 years ago.

Tunisia escaped a ban after apologising for accusing CAF of bias in a controversial 2015 Cup of Nations quarter-final defeat by Equatorial Guinea.

FIFA EXECUTIVE

Tunisian Tarek Bouchamaoui and Constant Selemani from the Democratic Republic of Congo are expected to win a race with Ivorian Jacques Anouma to fill two places on the FIFA executive committee.

Anouma wanted to challenge Hayatou for the CAF presidency two years ago, but a rule change disqualified him.

Algerian Mohamed Raouraoua was expected to stand for re-election, but withdrew after reportedly losing the support of Hayatou.

The successful candidates will join Hayatou and Egyptian Hany Abo Rida as CAF representatives at FIFA House in Zurich. Burundian female Lydia Nsekera is a non-CAF member of the global body executive.

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