AFCON to expand to 28 teams from 2027 in major shake-up

The Africa Cup of Nations will be expanded from 24 to 28 teams from the 2027 tournament in a significant overhaul of Africa’s flagship football competition, CAF president Dr Patrice Motsepe has confirmed.

The decision, announced in Johannesburg, means four extra nations will qualify for the finals, which will be held for the first time in East Africa, co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

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CAF says the move is aimed at widening participation and giving more national teams the chance to appear on the continent’s biggest football stage, while increasing the commercial and global appeal of African football.

New 28-team format revealed

Under the revamped structure, the 28 qualifiers will be drawn into seven groups of four for the group stage of the 2027 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations.

The top two teams in each group will advance automatically to the knockout rounds. They will be joined in the Round of 16 by the two best third-placed teams across all seven groups, ensuring that the tournament retains a last-16 phase despite the new group configuration.

The change represents the second major expansion of AFCON in less than a decade. In 2019, the competition was enlarged from 16 to 24 teams for the finals staged in Egypt, a move that brought several debutants and emerging nations into the spotlight.

CAF believes this latest adjustment will further deepen competition and allow more countries to benefit from the sporting and financial advantages of qualification.

First AFCON in East Africa

The 2027 edition will be historic for another reason: it will be the first time AFCON is hosted in East Africa.

Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are preparing to share hosting duties, with CAF viewing the joint bid as an opportunity to spread investment in infrastructure across the region and to tap into new supporter bases.

The continental showpiece is expected to accelerate stadium upgrades, training facilities and transport improvements across the three countries, as they race to meet CAF standards ahead of the tournament.

CAF targets higher quality and global profile

Dr Motsepe used the announcement to reiterate CAF’s broader ambitions for African football.

He said CAF remained committed to raising the quality of competitions on the continent, boosting their commercial value and strengthening their appeal to global audiences and broadcasters.

Preparations for upcoming editions of AFCON are already under way, with CAF working alongside host nations to refine scheduling, marketing and logistics in line with the expanded format.

Qualifiers set for later this year

The qualification campaign for the 2027 tournament is due to begin later this year.

With more places on offer than ever before, several countries who have historically struggled to reach the finals are expected to view the expansion as a crucial opportunity to make a breakthrough on the continental stage.

CAF will confirm the detailed qualifying schedule and draw procedures in the coming months, as the road to the first 28-team Africa Cup of Nations formally gets under way.