AFCON 2027: CAF Breaks Silence On Format Change

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has moved to clarify reports surrounding the format of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), confirming that the qualification process and tournament arrangements are being prepared ahead of the competition scheduled to hold in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Earlier reports had sparked confusion among football fans and stakeholders over whether CAF would alter the structure of the 2027 tournament, with discussions emerging around a possible increase in the number of participating teams beyond the current 24 team format.

CAF’s official communication on the 2027 qualifiers confirmed that 48 teams will compete in the qualifying stage, with 24 nations expected to secure places in the final tournament.

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The qualification process will see teams divided into 12 groups of four, with the top two teams from most groups advancing to the finals, while special qualification arrangements will apply to groups containing the three host nations, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

The qualifiers will begin in September 2026, with matches scheduled across three FIFA international windows. The first two matchdays are set for September 21 to October 6, 2026, the third and fourth matchdays will take place from November 9 to 17, 2026, while the final two matches are scheduled for March 22 to 30, 2027.

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The 2027 AFCON tournament will be hosted jointly by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and is scheduled to run from June 19 to July 17, 2027, marking the return of the continental showpiece to East Africa after more than five decades.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe has expressed confidence that the tournament will be successful, despite acknowledging challenges surrounding infrastructure preparation in some host countries.

The issue of AFCON expansion has generated debate within African football circles, following discussions about increasing the number of teams participating in future editions, although CAF has not released a final implementation framework for any future expansion.

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CAF had previously expanded AFCON from 16 to 24 teams ahead of the 2019 edition, a move that allowed more countries to participate in Africa’s biggest football competition.

For the 2027 edition, African football giants including Nigeria, Morocco, Egypt, Senegal, Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon are expected to battle for qualification as they seek places at the tournament.

With preparations already underway, attention will now shift to the qualifiers as national teams begin their campaigns for a place at the tournament in East Africa.

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