The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced that the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be expanded from 24 to 28 teams, following a major policy decision unveiled by CAF president Patrice Motsepe. The move forms part of a broader reform agenda aimed at increasing participation and strengthening the structure of African football.
Motsepe made the announcement after a CAF Executive Committee meeting in Cairo, explaining that the expansion is intended to give more national teams the chance to compete on the continent’s biggest football stage. The new format would mark another major shift for the competition, which was previously expanded from 16 to 24 teams in 2019.
Under the current setup, AFCON features six groups of four teams, with the top two sides and four best third-placed teams progressing to the knockout stage. While CAF is yet to fully outline how the new 28-team format will operate, the decision is expected to significantly alter qualification and tournament structure in future editions.
CAF also used the announcement to reaffirm plans to move AFCON from its traditional two-year cycle to a four-year cycle beginning after the 2028 tournament. According to Motsepe, the shift is designed to give teams more time to prepare, improve quality, and better align the competition with the global football calendar. Reuters also reported that CAF plans to launch an African Nations League from 2029, with a 16-team finals tournament every two years.
Despite the planned changes, the 2027 AFCON will still be staged under the existing 24-team format, with Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda set to co-host the tournament. The upcoming reforms are expected to reshape qualification battles across the continent and open the door for more nations to compete at the highest level.
The announcement signals what could be a major turning point for African football, with CAF pushing for a more inclusive and globally competitive tournament model in the years ahead.
