Why Ivory Coast is a more than credible option for the organization of the Champions Trophy

In most major European championships, the organization of the Super Cup (between the winner of the championship and the winner of the cup or against the second in the standings when the champion makes the double) is a formality. But in France and more precisely on the LFP side, nothing has been simple in recent months so much so that the organization of the 2025 Champions trophy has become quite a headache. Basically, this match was to take place in Beijing on August 8. Then, it was to be played in Monaco on August 28… the day of the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games. Here again, it was impossible to find common ground since PSG refused to play in the afternoon for logistical reasons.

If we do not yet know where it will take place at the time of writing these lines, we at least know the date since the Champions Trophy will take place on January 5, as approved by the Council of administration of the Professional Football League (LFP) this Thursday. It remains to be seen where. The possibility of playing the meeting in Doha, Qatar at the beginning of 2025 has been raised insistently in recent days. An idea which is obviously favored by the LFP and its president Vincent Labrune, PSG, but not necessarily AS Monaco or several L1 clubs who, under cover of anonymity, do not hide their astonishment, or even more , faced with this new so-called “default” choice of the League for the organization of this match.

Ivory Coast applied for January 2024

It must be said that there is another alternative to Qatar for the organization of this meeting. This leads to Ivory Coast. Although it was only briefly mentioned, it is very solid and has some great arguments. Submitted in January 2024 to the LFP, this application provides as many financial guarantees as those offered by Qatar. In addition, Côte d’Ivoire proved by organizing the last African Cup of Nations that it had solid infrastructures, praised by the president of CAF Patrice Motsepe and that of FIFA Gianni Infantino. . “During my presence in Ivory Coast for the CAN final, I was truly impressed by everything I saw: the impeccable organization of this competition, the country’s developed infrastructure, the warm welcome residents, and hotels that rival those in Paris.”

The strong man of FIFA does not think he is saying that well. With around 1.3 billion euros of investment to host the latest edition of the African Cup of Nations football, Côte d’Ivoire has invested massively to renovate and develop sports infrastructure and other equipment in the transport, hospitality or communication. Its Alassane OUATTARA Olympic stadium in Ebimpé with 60,000 seats, which hosted the final of the last CAN, is the best example. Beyond organizational considerations, the prospect of playing such a match on the African continent could benefit all of French football.

The LFP will decide between Qatar and Ivory Coast

Côte d’Ivoire is one of the major countries of French-speaking Africa (which had 140 million Africans in 31 countries and territories of French-speaking Africa in 2018) and its organization would bring great international media visibility to a trophy which it has been sorely lacking for several seasons. For the country of Elephants, it would also be a question of demonstrating its know-how at the organizational level since Ivory Coast aims to organize the World Cup at home in 2038.

As we can see, the Ivorian option presents many advantages and remains a solid alternative to the one leading to Qatar regardless of the financial aspect since both proposals offer a deal which will bring in €3 million for French football. The LFP will now have to decide and find a solution that will suit both PSG and AS Monaco. In all likelihood, the Professional Football League plans to make its final decision next Monday during the next League CA. Doha or Abidjan? The response is eagerly awaited, both from the capital club and within the Monegasque team…