Africa-Press – Rwanda. The President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, has firmly dismissed speculation that the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) could be postponed or relocated.
Speaking at a CAF Executive Committee meeting in Dar es Salaam on Friday, February 13, Motsepe confirmed that AFCON 2027 will take place as scheduled in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from June 19 to July 18, 2027.
“The AFCON in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda is going to be enormously successful. Over the last few days, I have seen speculation in the media that I am here to tell these three countries that I’m going to take away the tournament because they are not going to be ready. That is totally unfounded,” he said.
Motsepe directly rejected reports, including claims published by The Guardian, suggesting the tournament could be delayed until 2028 due to infrastructure and logistical concerns. He stressed that the competition will neither be postponed nor moved to another host nation.
Possible expansion to 28 teams
Beyond reaffirming the 2027 schedule, Motsepe revealed that CAF’s Executive Committee is discussing regulatory amendments and potential adjustments to competition structures.
Most notably, he confirmed that CAF is considering expanding AFCON from 24 to 28 participating teams in future editions.
“We plan to increase the number of participants in the Africa Cup of Nations from 24 to 28 teams,” Motsepe said during the press conference.
If approved, the expansion would mark another major shift for Africa’s flagship tournament. AFCON was expanded from 16 to 24 teams in 2019, and a further increase would significantly alter the competition format.
Should the proposal be adopted, AFCON 2027 could be the final edition played under the current 24-team structure before a new 28-team format is introduced.
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