The sudden disqualification of Morocco as host of African Cup of Nations AFCON, and the unwillingness of several other African countries to take that responsibility has thrown the hosting opportunity open to Qatar.

The Moroccan government requested postponement of the tournament in October, due to Ebola virus, but the Confederation of African football (CAF) considered  it and stick to the time. It however, asked Royal Moroccan Football Federation (RMFF) if it’s still willing to host the tournament, giving them 3 days to respond.

RMFF did not respond after 3 days, and thus were stripped of the hosting right and kicked out of the tournament. Some other African countries that could have stepped in are Egypt, Ghana, South Africa and Sudan, but they all declined. Therefore, the fate of AFCON 2015 may lie in a foreign land, and Qatar is willing to take the responsibility.

Qatar, hosting 2022 world cup amid opposition is looking for an opportunity to prove that its desert land could hold a tournament together.

If that happens, Africa will play her nation’s tournament for the first time on a foreign soil.