President of the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) Gianni Infantino wants the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) to change the calendar for the continent’s biggest football tournament – AFCON.
Infantino is expected to push the agenda during the on-going Historic African Football Symposium at Rabat, Morocco.
Coaches, ex-players, soccer administrators and pundits of the Africa game have gathered in the Morrocan capital to discuss what could be the blueprint of the continent’s biggest game – football.
Each of the 55 Member Associations affiliated to CAF is represented at the two-day event by its president, General Secretary and the technical director of the Federation or their head coach.
As successor to Sepp Blatter, Infantino is engineering many changes in the game including increasing the number of participants at the FIFA World Cup from 34 to 48 as well as the introduction of Video Assistant Referees in the game.
The Swiss who believes in transforming the game for development is pushing harder for the African confederation to adopt a calendar which will not disrupt the European football calendar following numerous complaints by many top European coaches.
Many top African Footballers have been torn between club and country whenever the Africa Cup of Nations is up for grabs.
Cameroon recently won the AFCON in Gabon without 8 of their most influential players who opted for their clubs instead of their countries.
The FIFA boss who has a beautiful relationship with the CAF wants the AFCON Calendar to be synchronised with the European one to avoid the club or country tag of war.
Many top coaches including Claude Le Roy, Florent Ibenge, and Herve Renard are among the list of coaches who are currently at the event.
Legendary Africa footballers including Abedi Pele, Anthony Baffoe, Joseph-Antoine Bell, Rabah Madjer, Ahmed Faras, Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha, Badou Zaki, Mohammed Timoumi, Hossam Hassan, Patrick Mboma, Geremi Njitap, etc. as well as Club leaders such as Roger Ouegnin, president of Ivorian giants, ASEC Mimosas, and Irvin Khoza of South African club, Orlando Pirates.