CAF Expands Africa Cup Of Nations To 28 Teams

CAF President Patrice Motsepe has announced that the Africa Cup of Nations will grow to 28 teams starting with the 2027 tournament, set to be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027.

According to Motsepe, the expansion is part of CAF’s broader push to grow the competition, building on the earlier decision to shift AFCON from a biennial event to one held every four years.

Under the revamped format, the group stage will consist of seven groups with four teams each. CAF has indicated that further details on the qualification process will be released in due course.

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Qualifying matches for the 2027 tournament will take place across three separate international windows: September 21–October 6, 2026; November 9–17, 2026; and March 22–30, 2027.

In addition, Motsepe revealed a significant boost in prize money for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, with the champion set to earn $2 million, double the previous $1 million payout, while each of the 16 qualifying teams will receive a minimum of $150,000.

He further commended African nations for their showing at the 2026 World Cup and expressed his personal backing for FIFA president Gianni Infantino as he seeks re-election.