The 2021 FIFA Club World Cup will not be held in Africa following South Africa’s withdrawal from the hosting process in a statement on Saturday. Though the country’s issues with Covid-19 were not expressed in the South African Football Association’s initial stated interest in hosting the event, SAFA cited ongoing concerns related to the pandemic and the low vaccination rate as the main reason for its withdrawal. United Arab Emirates are the only country left that have expressed interest in hosting the event after initial hosts Japan pulled out.