Africa-Press – Eritrea. The Africa Cup of Nations, one of the continent’s premier sporting events, may be heading for a seismic shift. Reports emerging from the Confederation of African Football suggest serious doubts over whether Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will be ready to stage the 2027 tournament on schedule — a situation that could push the competition back to 2028.
CAF’s Executive Committee is reportedly alarmed by persistent delays in infrastructure development and logistical preparations across the three East African host nations. With a 24-team format spread across ten cities demanding high standards for stadiums, transport links and accommodation, officials fear that the current build-up may fall short of what the competition requires.
In Dar es Salaam on Friday, delegates are set to discuss a proposal that would effectively postpone the event by a year. This conversation is unfolding against the backdrop of CAF’s broader restructuring of its competitions. The federation has already signaled a move to a four-year cycle for the Africa Cup of Nations from 2028, a radical shift from its traditional biennial rhythm and one that would dovetail with any rescheduling.
The concerns come after CAF inspection teams visited Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in recent weeks to assess readiness. Those technical assessments have brought infrastructure gaps into sharp relief, particularly in cities where stadia and training facilities were meant to be finalised.
Adding to the uncertainty, reports indicate that Morocco, originally slated to host the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations may withdraw from that role, creating parallel questions about the women’s game’s flagship event. South Africa has been floated as a potential replacement, though no official confirmation has yet come from CAF or Moroccan authorities.
This debate over AFCON’s timing and hosts highlights deeper tensions within African football: a drive to expand the tournament’s footprint and legacy, balanced against the logistical realities of staging major events across a diverse and developing continent. Whether the 2027 AFCON goes ahead as planned or is deferred until 2028, the decisions made this week in Tanzania will reverberate throughout the game.
