By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja
With six weeks to the crucial African Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) ‘Morocco 2022’ qualifiers opening rounds, Nigeria and 43 other participating countries have complied to the demand of the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) to submit dates, venues and kick off time of their respective home matches.
It was gathered that Super Falcons will host Black Queens of Ghana on October 20, 2021 in Lagos in the first leg of the top of the bill clash while the return leg will take place inside Accra Sports Stadium on October 24.
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had since submitted to CAF the date, venue and kick off time for the first leg match between Super Falcons and Black Queens of Ghana, it was learnt.
“I can confirm that NFF has complied to the request of CAF for each of the Member Associations (MA) that entered for the AWCON qualifiers to submit dates, venues and kick off time for their home matches before August 20, 2021. The Federation does not joke with such instructions from CAF or FIFA”, revealed the source who pleaded anonymity.
Also, our investigations revealed that other countries including Cote D’Ivoire, Mali and Ethiopia have all complied with CAF order even as Cote D’Ivoire will host Niger in the return leg tie at Stade Champroux in Abidjan on October 24.
In the same vein, Mali will tackle Guinea on October 20, 2021at Stade du 26 Mars in Bamako just as Ethiopia will welcome Uganda for the first leg tie on October 20 at the multi-purpose stadium in Addis Ababa.
However, of the 44 countries which entered for the AWCON qualifiers, 22 will qualify for the second round of matches after the first round games which will hold from October 18 to 26, 2021.
The second round of matches will produce the 11 countries that will join host nation, Morocco for the 2022 AWCON final even as the competition will produce four automatic qualifiers for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final in Australia and New Zealand.
Two more African teams could qualify through a play-off against South/North American or Asian countries.
Meanwhile, CAF letter to MAs signed by Samson Adamu of the Competitions Division reminded the associations that the Double Dates First Round Matches which will take place during the October FIFA International Window will be played three days apart.
