The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is considering postponing the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to 2028 amid mounting concerns over the preparedness of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda to host the tournament.
According to The Guardian, CAF’s executive committee is expected to deliberate on the proposal when it meets in Dar es Salaam on Friday. The agenda will also include uncertainty surrounding next month’s Women’s AFCON, following indications that Morocco may withdraw as hosts.
In December, CAF president Patrice Motsepe announced that AFCON would shift from a biennial to a four-year cycle beginning in 2028.
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Under the plan, the 2027 edition was to be staged in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, with the subsequent tournament brought forward from 2029 to 2028.
The decision, however, drew criticism from players and coaches during the recent AFCON in Morocco.
Despite reported interest from South Africa and Botswana in co-hosting the 2028 tournament, expectations are growing that the 2027 edition could be delayed by a year due to concerns over the hosts’ readiness.
Reports point to significant infrastructure challenges in all three countries, particularly their capacity to accommodate a 24-team competition across 10 cities.
Those concerns were highlighted during the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) in August 2025, when Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda faced issues related to ticketing and stadium security. Morocco went on to win that tournament.
There are also difficulties around fitting AFCON qualifiers into the international calendar, especially with as many as 10 African nations potentially involved in this summer’s World Cup. CAF has declined to comment on the reports.
Any postponement would likely lead to the cancellation of the tournament earmarked for 2028, for which Ethiopia had expressed interest in challenging a joint South Africa–Botswana bid.
That scenario would pave the way for CAF to launch a proposed African Nations League in 2029, which is intended to replace the biennial AFCON and CHAN as the organisation’s primary revenue generator.
Last month, Motsepe maintained that the 2027 tournament would proceed as planned.
“I have a duty to develop football all over Africa,” he said. “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.”
Meanwhile, uncertainty continues to surround the Women’s AFCON, scheduled to begin on 17 March. South Africa has indicated its readiness to host the tournament should the need arise, following reports that Morocco may no longer be in a position to stage it.
Neither the Moroccan Football Federation nor CAF has confirmed a change of venue, with clarity expected after Friday’s executive committee meeting.
AS