Proposal for Tournament Expansion Voted Down
A plan to expand the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) from 24 to 28 teams has been rejected, according to sources within the Confederation of African Football (Caf). The proposal, put forward by Caf president Patrice Motsepe in February at a press conference in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, would have taken effect for the 2028 tournament. However, two Caf executive committee members, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the proposal was voted down in a round-robin vote.
One executive committee member stated: “We took a round-robin vote and the proposal was soundly rejected. It was a very bad idea. I do not know why Motsepe proposed it in the first place. There is absolutely no reason for it.” A second committee member added that Motsepe had not consulted the committee before making the proposal.
Caf's Vision for a World-Class Tournament
Luxolo September, Caf’s communications director, told the Guardian that the expansion proposal was only one aspect of broader discussions on improving the tournament. He said: “For the last two years or so, Caf leadership has been discussing both in person and through written communication the implementation of the vision of making Caf competitions, in particular, the Caf Africa Cup of Nations, world-class … The debate and discussion is not limited to one aspect. The conversation on the Caf Africa Cup of Nations format is an ongoing discussion within Caf.”
Upcoming Tournaments and Bidding Process
The next Afcon is scheduled for June-July 2027 and will be hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Caf has confirmed that bids for the 2028 tournament have been received from Ethiopia, Morocco, and a joint bid from Botswana and South Africa. “Caf recently launched the bidding process for hosting rights,” September said. “Caf leadership is united behind one vision: making African football amongst the best in the world.”
