The Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) has elected Algeria as the next host of 4th edition of the combined U-18 and U-20 African Athletics Championships in 2027.
The CAA president, Mr. Hamad Kalkaba, disclosed this on Thursday in Abeokuta while giving an update on the upcoming continental athletics events.
Mr. Kalkaba also said that the senior championship would be held in Accra, Ghana in 2026, adding that the U-18 and U-20 championships would be hosted in Algeria in 2027 while Botswana will host the senior championships in 2028.
“We will have the senior championship in Accra, Ghana in 2026
“The U-18 and U-20 championships will return to Algeria in 2027. Botswana is expected to host the senior championship in 2028.” he said
He hinted that both Egypt and Ethiopia had showed interest in hosting future youth championships, but said a final decision on those bids would be made in due course.
According to him, CAA is also searching for a new host for the African Cross Country Championships, saying that it has lost prominence at the global level due to Africa’s continued dominance in the sport.
Kalkaba noted that Algeria was previously granted hosting rights for the U-18 and U-20 championships, but had shown limited enthusiasm in the final stages of preparation.
“The 2023 edition, originally scheduled to be held in Oran, had to be relocated after Algeria failed to demonstrate strong commitment.
“I was in Oran during the ANOCA General Assembly and held discussions with both the Algerian Federation President and the Minister of Sports, but I didn’t feel the level of interest needed to successfully host the event,” he said.
He revealed that Nigeria stepped in as a last-minute host for the 2023 edition, which they delivered well.
He emphasised that youth competitions such as the U-18 and U-20 championships were critical to Africa’s long-term success in athletics which served as stepping stones for future Olympic and World Championship contenders.
He added that the events would prepare the future of high-performance athletics in Africa, adding that it was vital to building the pride of the continent on the global stage.
