The Confederation of African Football (CAF) have now launched the search for a new country to stage its flagship tournament. 

Libya has endured weeks of recent chaos as the Government struggles to control former rebel fractions who helped topple former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Libya were originally scheduled to hold the Nations Cup in 2013 but because of the civil war swapped with 2017 hosts South Africa.

The North African country had been planning to build 11 stadiums at a cost of $314 million (£189 million/€237 million), including a showpiece new 60,000-seater Austrian-built stadium on the site of a former military camp in Tripoli.

Libya's Government said last year it hoped the hosting of the Nations Cup would allow it to demonstrate that life had returned to normal in the country and encourage investors.

Libya planned to spend $314 million building 11 new stadiums to host the 2017 African Nations Cup ©Getty Images

CAF's decision follows the visit of a delegation from the Libyan Football Federation (LFF). to CAF's headquarters in Cairo yesterday. 

The delegation was led by Libya's new Sports Minister Abdul Salam Abdullah Ghwiyla and Anwar al-Tashani, President of the LFF. 

"Libya will no longer host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2017," said a CAF statement.

"A Libyan delegation led by the country's Minister of Youth and Sports and included the President of the Libyan Football Federation revealed in a meeting with CAF President Issa Hayatou that owing to the unstable security situation in the country, Libya would not be able to host the Afcon in 2017.

"Consequently, the Secretary General of CAF, Hicham El Amrani, dispatched a circular on 23rd August, 2014 to all 54 member associations informing them of the decision and opening bids for the hosting of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations."

CAF set a deadline of September 30 for applicants with the designation of the new host country to be made at a meeting of the Executive Committee in 2015.

Five countries had already been shortlisted as possible hosts for the 2019 and 2021 African Nations Cup - Algeria, Cameroon, Guinea, Ivory Coast and Zambia.

But it isunclear if any of them would be ready to stage the 16-team event in just over two years.