Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe has dismissed speculation over a possible delay to the Africa Cup of Nations, confirming that the 2027 edition will be staged as planned in June and July next year.
Reports had suggested the tournament—due to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania—could be postponed because of concerns over infrastructure and overall readiness.
Speaking on Friday after a CAF Executive Committee meeting in Dar es Salaam, and following ongoing inspections of facilities across the three host nations, Motsepe described the postponement claims as “totally unfounded”.
“The Afcon next year in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda is going to be enormously successful,” Motsepe said.
“I am enormously confident. There are always challenges.
“We have to believe in ourselves as Africans and believe in our people. The quality of people we have who lead African football are world class,” he added.
The inspection tour by CAF officials is expected to continue until Tuesday.
Earlier this week, however, Nicholas Musonye, chair of Kenya’s local organising committee, told AFP that a shift to 2028 “would be good for Kenya”, citing the country’s general election scheduled for August 2027.
CAF had committed to staging the Africa Cup of Nations during the mid-year window from 2019, although the last three editions were held between January and February or December and January.
Hosting the tournament during the European club season has frequently sparked disputes over player release, while the competition will move to a four-year cycle from 2028.
Motsepe said the exact dates for the 2027 finals would be confirmed in due course. He also revealed that discussions are ongoing about expanding the tournament from 24 to 28 teams in the future, though no update was provided on bids to host the 2028 edition.
