The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has rejected a proposal to expand the Africa Cup of Nations from 24 to 28 teams. The plan, put forward by president Patrice Motsepe earlier this year, failed to gain support from the governing body’s executive committee.
Motsepe announced the proposal in February during a press conference in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Had it been approved, the expansion would have taken effect at the 2028 tournament.
Executive committee opposition
Two executive committee members, speaking anonymously, confirmed the proposal was defeated during a vote. One described it as a “very bad idea” and claimed Motsepe had not consulted the committee before making the announcement.
“We took a round-robin vote and the proposal was soundly rejected,” the official said. “I do not know why Motsepe proposed it in the first place. There is absolutely no reason for it.”
CAF response
Luxolo September, the body’s communications director, downplayed the rejection. He stated the expansion plan was only “one aspect” of wider discussions about improving the tournament. September emphasised that CAF leadership remains focused on making the competition “world-class” and that conversations about the format are ongoing.
Tournament schedule
The next edition of the Afcon will take place in June and July 2027, with Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania serving as co-hosts. CAF has already opened bidding for the 2028 tournament, with expressions of interest received from Ethiopia, Morocco, and a joint bid from Botswana and South Africa.
“Caf leadership is united behind one vision: making African football amongst the best in the world,” September added.
The decision preserves the current 24-team format, which was introduced in 2019. The rejection suggests internal resistance to rapid expansion within CAF’s leadership, despite Motsepe’s public support for the idea earlier this year.