- The Confederation of African Football may postpone the 2027 AFCON to 2028 over infrastructure concerns in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda
- However, the proposal will be discussed at CAF’s executive committee meeting on Friday
- Uncertainty also surrounds the Women’s AFCON, with South Africa offering to replace Morocco as host
The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) could be pushed back to 2028 amid growing concerns about the preparedness of joint hosts Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. If the postponement goes ahead, it may also result in the cancellation of one edition of Africa’s premier football tournament.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is set to deliberate on the proposal during its executive committee meeting in Dar es Salaam on Friday, February 13. Also on the agenda is Morocco’s anticipated withdrawal as host of next month’s Women’s AFCON.
In December, CAF president Patrice Motsepe announced that AFCON would transition from a biennial to a quadrennial tournament starting in 2028. He confirmed that the 2027 edition would be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, while the 2029 tournament would be brought forward to 2028.
However, despite interest from South Africa and Botswana to host the 2028 edition, insiders suggest that the 2027 tournament is increasingly likely to be delayed by a year.
“There are major concerns over the infrastructure in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and their ability to cope with a 24-team tournament due to be spread over 10 cities,” sources in the CAF executive committee said.
The three East African nations previously encountered logistical challenges, including ticketing and security issues, while co-hosting the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) for domestic-based players last August.
Additionally, scheduling complications pose another hurdle. With up to 10 African teams potentially participating in this summer’s World Cup, fitting AFCON qualifiers into the international calendar may prove difficult. CAF has yet to officially comment on the speculation.
Should the 2027 tournament be postponed, the 2028 edition may be scrapped entirely. Ethiopia had earlier expressed interest in contesting a South Africa-Botswana joint bid for that slot. Dropping the 2028 tournament would clear the path for CAF to introduce its first African Nations League in 2029, a competition designed to replace both the biennial AFCON and CHAN as the confederation’s primary revenue driver.
Despite the uncertainty, Motsepe has maintained that the 2027 edition will proceed as planned.
“I have a duty to develop football all over Africa. I can’t have competitions only in those four countries where you’ve got the infrastructure. You’ve got to create opportunities for the other countries to build infrastructure as well. I’m confident that the Afcon in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda will be enormously successful.” he said.
Meanwhile, uncertainty also surrounds the Women’s AFCON, scheduled to kick off on 17 March. South Africa has reportedly offered to step in if Morocco withdraws as host. However, neither the Moroccan football federation nor CAF has confirmed any venue change.
A final decision is expected at Friday’s executive committee meeting.
Osimhen played AFCON 2025 with hamstring injury, says Super Eagles Coach
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the Super Eagles coach, Éric Chelle, had revealed that Nigeria’s star striker, Victor Osimhen, played the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco while nursing a hamstring injury.
Despite the physical setback, Osimhen delivered standout performances for the Nigerian team, scoring four goals and providing two assists across six matches. His contributions earned him a place in the Confederation of African Football’s Team of the Tournament, recognising him as one of the competition’s top performers.