AFCON expansion plan from 24 to 28 teams rejected by CAF Executive Committee

A proposal to expand the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) from 24 to 28 teams has been rejected by the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) executive committee, according to The Guardian.

The idea, tabled by CAF president Patrice Motsepe in February during a press conference in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, had been intended for implementation at the 2028 tournament.

However, it failed to gain approval from the governing body’s top decision-makers.

Two CAF executive committee members, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the proposal was decisively voted down.

“We took a round-robin vote, and the proposal was soundly rejected. It was a very bad idea. I do not know why Motsepe proposed it in the first place. There is absolutely no reason for it,” one member said.

Another committee member suggested the president advanced the plan without prior consultation with the wider committee.

CAF’s communications director, Luxolo September, however, downplayed the rejection as part of broader ongoing discussions about the tournament’s future format.

“For the last two years or so, Caf leadership has been discussing both in person and through written communication the implementation of the vision of making Caf competitions, in particular, the Caf Africa Cup of Nations, world-class … The debate and discussion is not limited to one aspect. The conversation on the Caf Africa Cup of Nations format is an ongoing discussion within Caf.”

The next AFCON tournament is scheduled for June–July 2027 and will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

CAF has also opened bidding for the 2028 edition, with Ethiopia, Morocco, and a joint bid from Botswana and South Africa all in contention. Luxolo September added that CAF leadership remains focused on elevating African football to global standards.