Africa Cup of Nations 2027: CAF rules out ‘Plan B’ despite ‘major emergency’ warning

CAF president Patrice Motsepe has ruled out relocating the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, despite acknowledging that some areas of preparation in co-hosts Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda remain a “major emergency”.

Motsepe made the comments during a visit this week to the three East African countries, which will stage the tournament under the “Pamoja” project. Reports of delays, particularly involving infrastructure, have raised concerns about whether the hosts will be ready.

However, the South African said there was no alternative plan and insisted the competition would remain in the three countries.

“We are going to work very hard in Tanzania. I will convey the same message in Kenya and then in Uganda. We are going to work together and, in the areas where we are behind, we are going to correct that,” Motsepe said.

His remarks were intended to reassure the three hosts as questions continue over their level of preparation. The concerns have also reportedly prompted growing unease within Motsepe’s CAF executive committee.

Yet the CAF president later acknowledged that the situation was not entirely comfortable.

“I have seen improvements since my last visit,” he said, before recognising that important work was still outstanding.

Motsepe said some sectors continued to fall behind schedule.

“What also constitutes an emergency are the specific areas that have been brought to my attention, where I am told: ‘President, we are behind. There are still improvements to be made here,’” he said.

The comments underline the tension in CAF’s public position: the delays are serious enough to be described as an emergency, but not, in Motsepe’s view, serious enough to justify publicly considering a contingency plan.

He also argued that some media reports had overstated the problems facing the tournament.

“Many of you see these negative articles and I think some of them amount to disinformation,” Motsepe said. He added that shortcomings had sometimes been “amplified”, creating what he called “an incorrect perception”.

At the same time, Motsepe said CAF should continue to face scrutiny over its performance.

“Criticise us and make us aware of our failures and shortcomings. It is very important. We need that,” he said.

He also called for the progress already made to be acknowledged.

Asked whether one of the three countries could fall so far behind that it would be impossible to recover, Motsepe maintained his position.

“There will be no Plan B,” he said.

CAF will continue its inspections in the coming months. Motsepe is due to return to Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda in January 2027 for a final assessment.

The Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to begin on 19 June 2027, with the final set for 17 July. With nine months remaining before the opening match, CAF’s official position is that the situation requires urgent attention, but that the possibility of failure will not be considered publicly.