The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations final draw has been postponed because of logistical reasons related to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced.

CAF in a statement added that a new date will be announced in due course for the draw which was initially scheduled for June 25, 2021.

The postponement of the draw is the latest snag to hit the tournament which was originally scheduled to be played in June and July 2021 in Cameroon, but the CAF announced on January 15, 2020, that due to unfavourable climatic conditions during this period, the tournament would take place from January 9 to February 6, 2021.

However, on June 30, 2020, CAF moved the tournament for the third time to January 2022 in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across the continent. The tournament will now take place from January 9 to February 6, 2022.

Algeria are the defending champions after defeating Senegal 1–0 in the 2019 edition.

Draw

Twenty-four qualified teams will be drawn into six groups of four for the tournament.

The qualified teams are; Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Malawi, Ghana, Sudan, The Gambia, Gabon, Morocco, Mauritania, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Egypt, Comoros, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Congo, Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Nigeria & Benin.

Read the entire statement below;

CAF postpones TotalEnergies Africa Cup final draw, new date to be set soon

At the request of CAF, the Cameroon Local Organizing Committee (LOC) has agreed to postpone the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cameroon 2021 final draw for logistical reasons related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The draw was initially scheduled for 25 June 2021 and a new date will be announced in due course.

CAF continues to work together with its partners, the Cameroon government and the LOC with the objective of making the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cameroon 2021 a successful event and a great celebration of African football.