By FELIX MALUNGA –
THE Confederation of African Football (CAF) inspectors are expected in Zambia this week to evaluate the nation’s candidature to stage the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final.
Zambia is among five countries that are bidding to stage the 2019 AFCON finals after the withdrawal of DR Congo.
The CAF inspectors have so far visited Guinea, Algeria, Ivory Coast and Cameroon.
CAF’s team of experts are expected to meet Government and Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) officials before embarking on a tour of the proposed sites for the 2019 AFCON.
The team of inspectors will check on the facilities in the proposed towns of Lusaka, Livingstone, Ndola and Mongu.
So far Zambia boasts of two state-of-art stadiums in Lusaka and Ndola with two more expected to be built in Livingstone and Mongu.
Zambia is determined to impress during the inspectors’ visit and win the hearts of CAF as the country tries to banish the memories of failed AFCON bids for the 1988 and 2004 finals, respectively.
The inspecting team has CAF executive committee members, Amadou Diakite and Adoum Djibrin, FIFA expert Walter Gagg, CAF expert Paul Bassey and AFCON tournament director, Amr Fahmy.
Upon completion of the inspections in Zambia, the CAF team will present its report to the continental football motherbody, whose executive committee will next month decide the successful bids for the 2019 and 20121 AFCON events.
