Afcon 2027 expanded to record 28 teams as Caf reshapes tournament schedule

The Africa Cup of Nations will grow to 28 teams from 2027 in the biggest expansion in the tournament’s history, Confederation of African Football (Caf) president Patrice Motsepe has announced.

The move, which adds four more sides to the current 24-team format, will come into force at the next edition of the competition, to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from 19 June to 17 July 2027.

Historic expansion for continental showpiece

Speaking at a news conference in South Africa on Wednesday, Motsepe confirmed that Caf’s executive has approved an enlarged line-up for the continent’s flagship event.

He said the Africa Cup of Nations – often referred to as Afcon – will now feature 28 national teams instead of 24, reversing decades of smaller formats and marking a new era for the tournament.

The Afcon finals were last expanded ahead of the 2019 edition in Egypt, when the competition grew from 16 to 24 teams. That 24-team structure has been used for the past four editions.

With the latest change, Caf has now added a total of 12 teams to the finals in less than a decade, dramatically increasing representation from across the continent.

‘More nations must have the chance’

Motsepe framed the decision as part of a broader strategy to widen access and raise standards in African football.

He said the step was designed “to give a larger number of national teams the opportunity to appear at the African championship”, stressing that Caf is committed to developing its competitions.

Motsepe added that the organisation is constantly working “to strengthen the power of its tournaments and raise the level of competition in them”, arguing that increased participation would help more countries invest in football infrastructure, youth systems and high-performance programmes.

The expansion is expected to intensify qualifying battles while offering emerging football nations a realistic route to the finals for the first time.

East African co-hosts set for bigger stage

Afcon 2027 will be jointly staged by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, marking a rare tri-nation hosting arrangement in the tournament’s history.

The decision to increase the number of participating sides means the three East African hosts will need to accommodate more matches, teams and travelling supporters across multiple cities and venues.

The finals are scheduled to run from 19 June to 17 July 2027, placing the tournament in a mid-year slot that avoids direct clashes with major European club seasons.

Tournament to move to four-year cycle

Motsepe also confirmed a significant change to the Afcon calendar.

The competition will be held again in 2028 and then move onto a four-year cycle thereafter, bringing it into line with global showpiece events such as the World Cup and the European Championship.

The shift to a quadrennial rhythm is expected to reduce fixture congestion for players and clubs while potentially increasing the commercial value and prestige of each edition.

Caf has not yet released detailed information on the revised format, including how the 28 teams will be split into groups or how knock-out rounds will be structured. Those decisions are likely to follow further consultation with member associations and organisers in the coming months.

What is clear, however, is that from 2027 more African nations than ever before will compete on the continent’s biggest football stage – and will do so within a reshaped, less frequent tournament cycle that Caf hopes will elevate the status of the Africa Cup of Nations worldwide.