South Africa are now favourites to host the 2019 Afcon after Morocco‘s Minister for Sports Rachid Talbi Alami has revealed that the nation will not bid to host the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

The North Africans, along with South Africa had been considered as front-runners to stage the expanded 24-team tournament after Cameroon was stripped of the hosting rights last month due to delays in preparation. The competition is set to start on June 15.

“Morocco did not intend to run for the 2019 African Cup of Nations and will not do so,” Talbi Alami told AFP.

With Morocco’s decision to retreat from bidding to host the 2019 finals, Egypt might reconsider going for it after the North African nation had previously announced that they would not bid to host the competition if any other Arab country did so.