Gabon hammered on their legacy of hosting in 2012 to win the rights to host Afcon 2017, Joy Sports sources say.

The Central African nation were chosen to host the 2017 event after co-hosting in 2012. The decision was done by the Confederation of African Football on Wednesday.

They beat rival bids from Algeria and Ghana in a vote by the CAF executive committee at a meeting in Cairo.

CAF did not make details of the voting immediately available.

CAF have already designated the hosts of the 2019 (Cameroon), 2021 (Ivory Coast) and 2023 finals (Guinea).

VENUES

Gabon will use four venues for the 16-team tournament, set for January 2017.

They will be Libreville and Franceville, which were used in 2012, plus Port Gentil and Oyem where the stadiums will be ready in 14 months, Gabon Football Federation officials said.

Gabon replaces war-torn Libya, who withdrew last year as 2017 hosts because of the civil conflict raging in the country.

It will be the second time that the country will stage the finals after co-hosting the 2012 edition with neighbours Equatorial Guinea.

All three candidate countries made presentations to the CAF executive committee on Wednesday before the ballot was taken.

THE POLITICS

ALGERIA: Their reps had been busy parrying subliminal messages from Ghana and Gabon that Algeria is not a safe place. But they were adamant the place is 'safe'. The north Africans came very prepared with a glitzy looking video bid.

GHANA: Bid looked at reputation of how accesible country is among the three bidders, the legacy of 2008, and infrastructural availability.

GABON: Bid relied heavily on legacy of 2012. Promised better experience, reminding delegates of how good last time was.

Gabon also relied on the political friendship between President Ali Bongo and Caf boss Issa Hayatou. 

"When in 2015 everyone else run away from hosting the Afcon because Morocco pulled out, Gabon supported Caf all the way. They gave buses, logistics and even monetary support," a Caf source tells Joy Sports' Gary Al-Smith.

It has emerged that Ghana was actually second-best all along, also because the Caf bigwigs frowned on the way the Ghanaian public heavily hit against their country's tentative quest to host 2015.

And Algeria?

"In the final hours of the day, it emerged that [Algeria FA boss] Mohamed Raouroua is being seen as a potential rival to Issa Hayatou later, and he the boss couldn't have that," our source says.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Earlier, the Joy Sports team gave live coverage of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations announcement from the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.

Relive the live blog:

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1306 GMT

BREAKING: Gabon has been named as the host of the AFcon 2017 Nations Cup. They beat Ghana and Algeria in Cairo moments ago.

The Central African nation hosted the event in 2012.

For Ghana, this would mean a return to the drawing board to try again later. The nation sent a 14-man strong team to Cairo but it appears Gabon's promise of a legacy from 2012 was too strong.

Algeria will feel particularly stung, considering they were roaring favorites to win it due to their long preps for the event.

Ghana hosted the finals in 1963, 1978 and 2008 and co-hosted in 2000 with Nigeria as late replacements when Zimbabwe was stripped of the right to hold the event.

Algeria hosted the tournament in 1990 when they won their only continental title.

Original host of the 2017 edition, Libya, withdrew last year from staging the competition following continued violence in the country.

The 2015 Afcon was held in Equatorial Guinea and won by Cote D’Ivoire.

1301 GMT

Fomer Sudanese superstar Mahmoud Abdel Shata: "I don't care where the next Afcon will be held as long as that country makes Africa proud!"

We will know in a wee bit!

1300 GMT

It is time for the announcement. Algeria's team looks very calm indeed. Can they get the rights for the first time since 1990?

1251 GMT

Algeria's FA boss Mohammed Raouraoua: "Algeria has no concerns over security. Algeria is secure now. It's not like 10 yrs ago".

Ghana's bid member Rex Danquah also says: "Ghana's reputation as a great soccer tournament host is well-known. We hope Caf agree with us."

1246 GMT

The time is now. The world is waiting and the media houses from across the world have now been allowed in. We wait!

1235 GMT

Algeria's ambassador in Egypt Nazir Al Arabawi: "I believe my country's bid is the best and I am sure they will win. We started preparing for this years ago. We believe Ghana and Gabon only recently began.

1230 GMT

This morning, the rumour mill went into overdrive when, somehow, news spread in Cairo that Gabon was the roaring favourite. This led Ghana FA boss Kwesi Nyantakyi to begin a last-minute lobbying push with the country's high-power delegation to turn the tide, if the rumours were true. 

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EARLIER EVENTS

Gary: This is the hall in Cairo where it is happening at the Caf headquarters. Algeria, Gabon and Ghana are slugging it out for the right to host Africa in 2017. 

Gary: While we await the winner of the 2017 rights, a reminder of what is to come.

There will be a draw for the qualifiers for the Afcon 2017. They begin in June. There are 52 countries available to be balloted, with Somalia and Eritrea not included.

This is what an earlier dress rehearsal looked like.

 

Gary: This is what the hugh table of Caf Executive Committee officials looks like. Earlier, the three bid countries stated their case to this august group.

Gary: While Ghana, Algeria and Gabon tried to convince the ExCo the world's media await. But Joy Sports understands that only Caf-sanctioned cameras were allowed in the hallowed chambers.

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Follow Gary on Twitter: @garyalsmith