Africa Cup of Nations expands to 28 teams from 2027 as CAF confirms major change

Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe has announced that the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will expand from 24 to 28 teams beginning with the 2027 edition.

The landmark decision was confirmed during a press conference in South Africa on Wednesday, marking another significant step in CAF's efforts to broaden participation and strengthen the continent's premier football competition.

The 2027 AFCON will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from June 19 to July 17, 2027, making it the first time the tournament will be staged in East Africa.

Since the 2019 tournament in Egypt, the Africa Cup of Nations has featured 24 teams, following an expansion from the previous 16-team format.

However, CAF has now approved an additional four places, increasing the number of participating nations to 28 from the next edition.

According to Motsepe, the decision reflects CAF's commitment to giving more African countries the opportunity to compete on the continent's biggest football stage while improving the quality and competitiveness of the tournament.

"We are committed to growing African football and ensuring more nations have the opportunity to participate in our flagship competition," Motsepe said.

Under the new competition format, the 28 qualified teams will be divided into seven groups of four teams during the group stage.

The top two teams from each group will automatically qualify for the Round of 16.

They will be joined by the two best third-placed teams, completing the 16-team knockout stage.

CAF believes the revised structure will create a more competitive tournament while rewarding consistent performances throughout the group phase.

The 2027 edition will also mark a historic milestone as Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania become the first East African nations to jointly host the Africa Cup of Nations.

The tournament is expected to boost football development, tourism and infrastructure across the three countries while showcasing East Africa's growing influence in continental football.

Motsepe also confirmed that the Africa Cup of Nations will be staged again in 2028 before transitioning to a four-year cycle thereafter.

The move is expected to better align the tournament with the international football calendar while allowing participating countries more time to prepare for future editions.

The expansion from 24 to 28 teams represents the latest chapter in CAF's ongoing efforts to modernise African football.

After successfully increasing the tournament from 16 to 24 teams in 2019, CAF believes the latest expansion will create more opportunities for emerging football nations while raising the overall standard of competition.

With more countries set to compete and East Africa preparing to host the tournament for the first time, the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations promises to be one of the biggest and most inclusive editions in the competition's history.