Algeria will be the host of 2027 CAA U-18, U-20 championships, president

The African Athletics Confederation (CAA) has announced that Algeria will be the host of the 2027 edition of the combined athletics championships of children under 18 and under 20 Africans.

The president of the CAA, Hamad Kalkaba Malboum, revealed this on Thursday in Abeokuta, where he also provided updates about the next continental athletic events.

“We will have the Senior Championship at Accra, Ghana in 2026,” Malboum said.

“And then, championships under 18 and under 20 will return to Algeria in 2027. Botswana is expected to host the senior championship in 2028”.

He added that both Egypt and Ethiopia have expressed interest in organizing future youth championships, although in due time a final decision on those offers will be taken.

Meanwhile, the CAA is also looking for a new host for the African Cross Country championship, which has lost prominence worldwide due to the continuous domain of Africa in sports.

Malboum said Algeria previously received the rights of hosts for championships U-18 and U-20, 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 did not demonstrate a strong commitment.

“I was in Oran during the Anoca General Assembly and maintained discussions with the president of the Algerian Federation and the Minister of Sports, but I did not feel the level of interest necessary to successfully organize the event,” said Malboum.

He revealed that Nigeria intervened as a last minute host for the 2023 edition, thanks to the rapid commitment to Nigerian officials.

“Fortunately, Mr. Shehu Diko, president of the Nigeria Sports Commission, was present during that meeting. As a brother, I approached him and asked him if Nigeria could take the challenge in four months, and delivered,” Malboum said.

He stressed that youth competitions such as the U-18 and U-20 championship are critical for the long-term success of Africa in athletics, which serve as steps for future Olympic contenders and the world championship.

“These events prepare the future of high performance athletics in Africa. They are vital to build the pride of the continent on the global stage,” he said.