Six nations namely Algeria, Morocco, South Africa, Zambia and Benin-Nigeria are in line to replace Guinea as hosts of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, CAF president Patrice Motsepe confirmed on Saturday.

Guinea, which was chosen in 2014 to stage the foremost African national team tournament, withdrew last year after little progress had been made in preparing for the biennial event. Guineans officials were said to be cash strapped hence unable to made any headway in their preparation for the biggest soccer festival in Africa.

CAF officials will do inspection tours of all the candidates this month with the winners to be announced on February 10.

South African billionaire businessman Motsepe said the successful country or countries would offer the best “transport, logistics, hotels and beautiful stadiums”.

“Each region will have a chance to organise a CAN (Cup of Nations). We cannot assign the organisation of the CAN successively to the same region.”

Benin and Nigeria are in West Africa, as are the Ivory Coast, who will host the 2023 Cup of Nations. This dims Nigeria-Benin chances.

Morocco and South Africa look favoured because of their excellent facilities. South Africa has hosted the World Cup, the only African country to have done so.