The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the decision to strip the country of the 2021 African Cup of Nations on Thursday.

The Confederation of African Football took the 2019 tournament from Cameroon due to delays in preparations and offered it the 2021 finals, which had already been awarded to the Ivory Coast.

"The FIF was surprised to learn that the president of CAF (Ahmad Ahmad) decided on his own authority, without any prior consultation ... to reassign the 2021 edition, which was entrusted until then to the Ivory Coast, to Cameroon," the FIF said in a statement.

"The preparation and work required to organise this great competition, which is particularly important for all Ivorian football and the Ivory Coast, constitutes important economic, financial and human investment."

Ahmad has indicated that the Ivory Coast has now been offered the hosting rights for 2023.