The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has resumed the search for a new host of the 2020 Africa Women's Cup of Nations following a snub from South Africa.
The continental governing body announced the expansion of the competition from eight to 12 in July, the same month Congo withdrew as host of the continental finals.
In the wake of this, Caf approached the South Africa Football Association (Safa) to replace Congo as emergency host but Safa rejected the offer due to their bid for the 2023 Women's World Cup.
As the 2023 Women's World Cup hosting rights bidders, South Africa will focus on meeting the December 13 deadline to provide hosting agreement guarantees and detailed bid plans to Fifa.
"We are not going to express an interest on this‚" Safa's new acting chief executive officer Gay Mokoena said in a statement.
"We are instead trying to focus our efforts on the 2023 Women's World Cup. I will write to Caf to advise them that we will not express any interest to host this tournament."
With this development, Caf is left with no choice but to reopen the hosting bid with a new formal tender to bidders for the tournament at their executive committee meeting in Cairo on Thursday.
Although no dates are set for the 2020 Women's Africa Cup of Nations it is expected to take place from mid-November to early December next year.
Nigeria are the reigning champions of the showpiece following a triumph over South Africa at the 11th edition in Ghana in 2018.
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