Cape Town –
Nearly half of the African countries hosting World Cup qualifiers next week will be forced to stage their matches at neutral venues as the Confederation of African Football continues to tackle poor facilities.
About 17 of the 43 countries that have a home match scheduled between Wednesday and next Tuesday in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup will not be allowed to use their own stadiums because they do not meet standards.
The list includes Kenya, one of three countries named to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations final, and Benin, whose stadium in Cotonou is less than two years after a major renovation is in decline.
