The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will feature 28 teams instead of 24 after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) officially approved the tournament’s expansion.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe confirmed the decision while addressing the media in Johannesburg on Wednesday, July 22, saying the move is intended to give more African nations the opportunity to compete in the continent’s premier football tournament.
The 2027 edition will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, marking the first time the AFCON finals are staged in East Africa.
“We have increased the number of participants for the next edition of the AFCON,” Motsepe confirmed, making the expansion official.
Its expected that under the new format, the 28 teams will be drawn into seven groups of four. The top two teams from each group will automatically qualify for the Round of 16, alongside the two best third-placed teams – awaiting official confirmation.
The expansion marks the second major increase in the tournament’s history in less than a decade.
CAF previously raised the number of finalists from 16 to 24 ahead of the 2019 tournament in Egypt.
It’s strong to remember that the first AFCON edition in 1957, had only three teams including hosts Sudan!
CAF believes the larger tournament will increase competitiveness while giving more countries the opportunity to showcase their talent on Africa’s biggest football stage.
Qualifiers for the 2027 AFCON are expected to begin later this year.
CAF Reassures on AFCON 2027 Preparations
Motsepe also dismissed concerns over the readiness of the three co-hosts following reports of delays in infrastructure development, particularly in Kenya.
He said preparations remain on schedule, with CAF working closely with the governments of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania to ensure the tournament is successfully delivered.
“Good progress is being made with the preparations for the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON PAMOJA 2027,” Motsepe said.
“The governments of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are fully committed and are cooperating with CAF to ensure that the stadiums, training facilities, accommodation, transport, safety and security, medical services, technology, broadcasting and other infrastructure meet the required standards for a successful AFCON PAMOJA.”
His remarks are expected to ease concerns over the state of preparations as the three East African nations continue upgrading infrastructure ahead of hosting the continent’s biggest football showpiece.
Is Uganda Ready?
Few days ago, Parliament demanded monthly progress reports on Uganda’s preparations to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), calling for increased oversight to ensure transparency, accountability and timely completion of infrastructure projects.
The demand followed a ministerial statement by State Minister for Sports Peter Ogwang, who assured legislators that Uganda remains on schedule to host the tournament alongside Kenya and Tanzania from June 19 to July 18, 2027.
Uganda is set to host matches at Mandela National Stadium Namboole, and Hoima City Stadium, while eight training facilities are being upgraded to meet CAF standards. Government has committed more than Shs2.25 trillion towards sports infrastructure, logistics and related projects.
MPs warned against delays, cost overruns and accountability challenges, citing lessons from Uganda’s 2007 CHOGM preparations. They called for regular updates on construction progress, expenditure and procurement milestones.
Ogwang welcomed Parliament’s oversight role, saying government would cooperate with inspections and provide updates on the progress of AFCON-related projects.
He also clarified that the Shs101.1 billion support package for selected hotels will be issued as subsidised loans through Uganda Development Bank to help facilities meet CAF requirements.
AFCON PAMOJA 2027 Qualifiers groups:
GROUP A: Morocco, Gabon, Niger, Lesotho
GROUP B: Egypt, Angola, Malawi, South Sudan
GROUP C: Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, The Gambia, Somalia
GROUP D: South Africa, Guinea, Kenya, Eritrea
GROUP E: DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe
GROUP F: Burkina Faso, Benin, Mauritania, Central African Republic
GROUP G: Cameroon, Comoros, Namibia, Congo
GROUP H: Tunisia, Uganda, Libya, Botswana
GROUP I: Algeria, Zambia, Togo, Burundi
GROUP J: Senegal, Mozambique, Sudan, Ethiopia
GROUP K: Mali, Cape Verde, Rwanda, Liberia
GROUP L: Nigeria, Madagascar, Tanzania, Guinea-Bissau
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