CAF has given the Royal Moroccan Football Federation until Saturday (November 8) to decide if they still wish to stage the AFCON from January 17 to February 8, a deadline also given to any countries who may want to step in as replacement hosts, before a final decision is made in the Egyptian capital Cairo on November 11.

Following a meeting in the Moroccan capital Rabat today, CAF tweeted that it was "unanimous on keeping competition on the dates; namely from January 17 to February 8, 2015".

The Moroccan Government had demanded that the 16-team tournament is delayed until June over fears that fans from the region worst affected by the Ebola virus, West Africa, may travel to the host nation.

A CAF delegation led by President Issa Hayatou met Moroccan officials last week in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, before holding a further meeting in the Algerian capital Algiers yesterday.

Issa Hayatou (left), President of the Confederation of African Football, speaks to Fouzi Lekjaa (right), President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, before the decision was announced today ©Getty Images



"The meeting of the CAF Executive Committee in Algiers on Sunday considered the request from the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Morocco for a postponement and was unanimous on keeping the competition on the dates scheduled," said CAF in a statement.

"CAF have asked the Royal Moroccan Football Federation to clarify the position of Morocco by no later than November 8.

"Time given to Morocco applies to other associations wishing to organise the Nations Cup on the dates agreed as long as hosting requirements are met."

CAF has already asked several other countries if they would be willing to step in as emergency hosts but the response hasn't been positive.

The nation best equipped to pick up the finals at short notice, South Africa, has refused to consider lending a helping hand.

Also refusing to help are Algeria, Egypt and Sudan while Nigeria and Ghana are undecided but reluctant.

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