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CAF Rejects Proposal to Expand AFCON to 28 Teams
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has rejected a proposal to expand the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) from 24 to 28 teams after its executive committee voted against the plan, according to The Guardian.
The proposal, introduced by CAF president Patrice Motsepe during a press conference in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in February, was aimed at increasing the number of participating nations beginning with the 2028 tournament.
However, the idea failed to secure the backing of CAF’s executive committee, with two members confirming anonymously that it was overwhelmingly rejected during a round-robin vote.
“We took a round-robin vote, and the proposal was soundly rejected. It was a very bad idea. I do not know why Motsepe proposed it in the first place. There is absolutely no reason for it,” one committee member said.
Another executive committee member claimed the proposal was presented without prior consultation with the broader leadership, suggesting it lacked sufficient internal support.
Despite the rejection, CAF’s Director of Communications, Luxolo September, described the debate as part of an ongoing review of the competition’s future.
“For the last two years or so, CAF leadership has been discussing both in person and through written communication the implementation of the vision of making CAF competitions, in particular the CAF Africa Cup of Nations, world-class. The debate and discussion is not limited to one aspect. The conversation on the CAF Africa Cup of Nations format is an ongoing discussion within CAF,” September said.
The next edition of AFCON will take place in June and July 2027 and will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
Meanwhile, CAF has opened the bidding process for the 2028 tournament, with Ethiopia, Morocco, and a joint bid from Botswana and South Africa among the contenders. September reiterated that CAF remains committed to strengthening its competitions and raising African football to world-class standards.
