CAF confirms 2027 Africa Cup of Nations to remain a 24-team tournament

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially ruled out any expansion of the Africa Cup of Nations for 2027, confirming the tournament will continue with 24 teams despite recent media speculation about an increase to 28 participants.

CAF moved to clarify the situation after reports circulated in recent hours suggesting that the next edition of the competition, to be staged in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, would feature four additional national teams.

In a statement released through its official channels, CAF said its president Patrice Motsepe had already addressed the issue in a press conference held on Wednesday, making clear that the existing format will be retained.

According to the clarification, Motsepe confirmed that the 2027 tournament “will be played with 24 teams”, ending any uncertainty triggered by the speculation.

CAF dismisses media reports

CAF stressed that claims in some outlets about a change in the number of participating nations were inaccurate, describing what had been published on this point as “not precise”.

The governing body reiterated that there has been no decision to alter the current format, which has been in force since the 2019 finals in Egypt.

Those reports had suggested that CAF was preparing to admit 28 teams to the 2027 edition – an expansion that would have represented another major structural shift for the continent’s flagship competition. CAF’s statement makes clear that no such move is planned.

Schedule for 2027 confirmed

CAF also used its communication to set out the main dates around the 2027 finals and the qualifying process.

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be held across June and July, aligning the calendar with the northern hemisphere summer window.

Qualifying for the tournament is scheduled to begin in September 2026 and conclude in October 2026, with teams across the continent competing for a place at the finals in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.

Format unchanged since 2019 expansion

The Africa Cup of Nations underwent its most significant expansion in history at the 2019 edition in Egypt, when the number of finalists increased from 16 to 24.

That format has been maintained ever since, covering the 2021 and 2023 tournaments and the upcoming 2025 edition.

CAF’s latest clarification confirms that the same 24-team structure will remain in place for 2027, with no further enlargement of the finals currently envisaged.