CAF has announced the cancellation of the 2021 Afcon U17 tournament which was scheduled to start this weekend.

The cancellation is due to new wave of the coronavirus pandemic which has affected the host country, Morocco, and beyond.

The decision was made at an emergency committee meeting on Monday.

Here is a statement by CAF:

The CAF Emergency Committee met on Monday, March 08, 2021 in Rabat, Morocco to decide on the holding of the 2021 U17 Total Africa Cup of Nations.

The Committee was made aware of the constraints faced by some of the participating member associations as well as the host country including the fact that the coronavirus pandemic continues to present significant challenges for the organization of international sporting events.

Taking into account the cancellation by FIFA of the Under-17 World Cup for which the U-17 CAN was no longer qualifying, the Committee further noted:

• The resurgence of the Covid19 pandemic.

• Increased restrictions on international travel

• Uncertainty about the evolution of the situation

For all these reasons, the Committee decided to cancel the 2021 edition of the Total U17 Africa Cup of Nations.