The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will expand from 24 to 28 teams starting with the 2027 edition. CAF President Patrice Motsepe made the announcement today during a press conference in South Africa. The move aims to give more African nations the opportunity to compete at the highest level and reflects CAF’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its flagship tournament and elevate the overall standard of African football.
The next AFCON, scheduled for June 19 to July 17, 2027, will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. This will mark the first time the expanded 28-team format is implemented, following four previous editions that featured 24 participants since the increase from 16 teams in 2019.
Motsepe emphasized that CAF remains committed to making its competitions more inclusive, predictable, and world-class, while continuing to develop football across regions like East Africa. The tournament will also feature another edition in 2028 before shifting to a four-year cycle thereafter.
This latest decision builds on earlier discussions about format changes and comes as CAF continues broader reforms to boost African football’s global standing.
