CAF rejects claims 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be postponed to 2028

Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe has rejected reports that the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be postponed until 2028.

The uncertainty comes as South Africa considers a joint bid with Botswana to host the 2028 AFCON. SABC Sport has learnt that South Africa is showing strong interest in submitting the proposal with its neighbouring country.

South Africa’s Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has also vowed to bring the tournament back to South Africa in 2028.

However, Motsepe has dismissed suggestions that the 2027 edition will be moved by a year. No further details have been given about the reasons behind the claims or the status of any potential South Africa-Botswana bid.

The latest developments follow a controversial conclusion to the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, where CAF imposed heavy suspensions and fines on the Senegal and Morocco Football Federations.

The sanctions followed a series of serious disciplinary breaches during the final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat two weeks ago. The match was ultimately won by Senegal, who were crowned 2025 AFCON champions after a dramatic 1-0 victory over Morocco on Sunday evening.

The final had been billed as a showdown between Senegal and host nation Morocco at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. Senegal’s victory secured the title at the expense of the hosts.

CAF’s disciplinary action has added to scrutiny of the tournament, with questions also raised about refereeing decisions and the standard of officiating. Motsepe said the confederation was addressing concerns surrounding certain decisions made by referees during the current AFCON tournament.

Nigeria finished third after beating Egypt 4-2 on penalties in the play-off for the bronze medal. The match at Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca ended goalless in regulation time before Nigeria prevailed in the shootout.

The competing announcements about future editions of the tournament have created renewed focus on the AFCON hosting calendar. South Africa has now emerged as a potential candidate for the 2028 competition through a possible partnership with Botswana, while McKenzie has publicly expressed his determination to see the tournament return to South Africa.

At the same time, Motsepe’s dismissal of reports about a change to the 2027 schedule means the next edition remains the subject of separate attention from the proposed 2028 bid.

The 2025 tournament ended with Senegal lifting the trophy after their narrow success against Morocco, while CAF’s punishments for the two football federations remain part of the fallout from the final in Rabat.