The Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) scheduled to be held in June and July next year in Ivory Coast has been postponed to January-February 2024 to avoid the rainy season, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed on Sunday.    

Patrice Motsepe, head of the CAF announced that the 34th edition will not go as planned because the body didn't want to take the risk of staging the tournament "under a deluge".    

During a press conference in Morocco, Motsepe told the media, “The 2023 Afcon will now be played between January and February 2024," adding that "January is not the ideal time because European clubs are not keen to release some of their best players."

The CAF president went on to say: “It is after deliberations we came into the decision, we have partners and even though we make decisions, it is out of respect that we take the advice we are getting that we cannot take a risk [to host the tournament] and so that is why we have made the necessary announcement today.

“It is not good for African football to play a tournament that can be washed out, it is not good for Africa and the continent at large and so we have to postpone it.”