The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, known as the Total 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, is the 32nd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the biennial international men's football championship of Africa organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). The tournament is being hosted by Egypt.
The competition is currently held from 21 June to 19 July 2019, as per the decision of the CAF Executive Committee on 20 July 2017 to move the Africa Cup of Nations from January/February to June/July for the first time.
The tournament was initially scheduled to be hosted by Cameroon. Cameroon would have hosted the competition for the first time since 1972. However, on 30 November 2018, Cameroon was stripped of hosting the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations due to delays in the delivery of infrastructure, the Boko Haram insurgency and the Anglophone Crisis.
Later On 8 January 2019, Egypt was chosen by the CAF Executive Committee as the host nation of the competition. The tournament was also moved from the original dates of 15 June – 13 July to 21 June – 19 July due to Ramadan.
With the Africa Cup of Nations expanded from 16 to 24 teams, at least six venues were expected to be used.
After being awarded the bid, initially Egypt chose eight stadiums to host the tournament. The eight stadiums were Cairo International Stadium and Al Salam Stadium in Cairo, Alexandria Stadium and Haras El Hodoud Stadium in Alexandria, Egyptian Army Stadium and Suez Stadium in Suez, Ismailia Stadium in Ismailia and Al Masry Club Stadium in Port Said.
Later, Al Salam Stadium was replaced with 30 June Stadium, which is another stadium located in Cairo. It was expected that the famous Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria and Osman Ahmed Osman Stadium in Cairo would be used in the tournament, but they weren't selected.
On 17 February 2019, it was confirmed that only six stadiums will be used. The six venues are Cairo International Stadium and 30 June Stadium in Cairo, Alexandria Stadium in Alexandria, Suez Stadium in Suez, Ismailia Stadium in Ismailia and Al Masry Club Stadium in Port Said.
However on 13 March 2019, Al Masry Club Stadium in Port Said was replaced by Al Salam Stadium in Cairo after discovering a problem with one of the stadium's main stands.
Cairo International Stadium
The Cairo International Stadium or "Stad El Qahira El Dawly" or Nasser Stadium, is an Olympic-standard, multi-use stadium with an all-seated capacity of 75,000.
The architect of the stadium is the German Werner March, who had built from 1934 to 1936 the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. Before becoming an all seater stadium, it had the ability to hold over 100,000 spectators, reaching a record of 120,000.
It is the foremost Olympic-standard facility befitting the role of Cairo, Egypt as the center of events in the region. It is also the 69th largest stadium in the world. Located in Nasr City; a suburb north east of Cairo, it was completed in 1960, and was inaugurated by President Gamal Abd El Nasser on 23 July that year, the eighth anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution of 1952.
Zamalek SC currently use the Petro Sport Stadium for most of their home games and Al Ahly use Al Salam Stadium for most of their home games.
Cairo International Stadium will host five group games, two matches in 1/8 stage, one 1/4 match, one semi-final and the final, 10 games in total.
30 June Stadium
The 30 June Stadium is a stadium used mostly for football matches and also sometimes for athletics located in Cairo. It was built by the Egyptian Air Defense Forces.
The stadium is the main venue of the Air Defense Sport Village. The stadium has a capacity of 30,000 and it is one of the venues of the Egyptian Premier League. It is the home ground of the Egyptian Premier League side Pyramids F.C.
In March 2019 it was announced that the stadium will host all bar one of the fixtures of Group C in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, as well as one Group A and Group D match and one match each in the round of 16, the quarter finals, and the semi-finals.
Al Salam Stadium
Al Salam Stadium, or Cairo Military Production Stadium, is multi-use stadium used mostly for association football matches with an all-seated capacity of 30,000.
The stadium is the home venue of Egyptian Premier League side El Entag El Harby and also sometimes hosts home games for Al Ahly. The stadium was built in 2009 and hosted Group B during the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Al Salam Stadium will host seven group matches during 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, one 1/8 & 1/4 games, as well as the third place play-off.
Alexandria Stadium
Alexandria Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Alexandria, Egypt. It is currently used mostly for football matches, and was used for the 2006 African Cup of Nations.
The stadium is the oldest stadium in Egypt and Africa, being built in 1929. The stadium holds 20,000 people after recent remodelings.
To be used in 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, Alexandria Stadium will host five games in group stage and two 1/8 matches.
Suez Stadium
The Suez Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Suez, Egypt.
It is used mostly for football and serves as the home stadium of Asmant El-Suweis & Petrojet. The stadium has a capacity of 27,000 people. It opened in 1990.
Suez Stadium will host six group games during 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, one 1/8 match & 1/4 match, eight in total.
Ismailia Stadium
The Ismailia Stadium is located in Ismailia, Egypt, and has a total capacity of 18,525 after the remodelation in 2009.
It is used by Ismaily SC, and was one of six stadiums used in the 2006 African Cup of Nations and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
For 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, Ismailia Stadium will host six group games & one match in 1/8 stage.
