Next year’s Africa Cup of Nations faces a potential postponement to 2028 amid serious concerns about Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda’s preparedness to host the tournament.
The delay could force the Confederation of African Football to cancel one edition of its flagship competition.
According to The Guardian, CAF’s executive committee is set to review the proposal during its meeting in Dar es Salaam on Friday.
The agenda will also consider Morocco’s anticipated withdrawal as hosts of next month’s Women’s AFCON.
CAF president, Patrice Motsepe, announced in December that AFCON will move to a four-year cycle from 2028, rather than the current two-year schedule.
He explained that the 2027 tournament is planned for Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, with the 2029 edition brought forward to 2028.
Despite interest from South Africa and Botswana in hosting the 2028 edition, sources indicated that the 2027 tournament is increasingly expected to be postponed by 12 months.
“There are major concerns over the infrastructure in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and their ability to cope with a 24-team tournament due to be spread over 10 cities,” said sources within the CAF executive committee.
Last August, the three countries encountered logistical difficulties, including ticketing and security, while hosting the Africa Nations Championship for domestic-based players.
Scheduling challenges have also been reported, given the potential involvement of 10 African teams at this summer’s World Cup.
CAF has yet to respond to these concerns.
A postponement would effectively cancel the 2028 edition, for which Ethiopia had expressed interest as a rival to the South Africa-Botswana bid.
This would allow CAF to launch its first African Nations League in 2029, designed to replace the biennial AFCON and CHAN as its primary revenue source.
Motsepe, however, insists the 2027 tournament will proceed as planned. “I have a duty to develop football all over Africa,” he said. “I can’t have competitions only in those four countries where you’ve got the infrastructure. You’ve got to create opportunities for the other countries to build infrastructure as well. I’m confident that the Afcon in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda will be enormously successful.”
Meanwhile, uncertainty surrounds the Women’s AFCON, set to begin on 17 March, after South Africa offered to step in if Morocco is unable to host.
Neither CAF nor the Moroccan football federation has confirmed a change in venue, with a decision expected at Friday’s executive committee meeting.
It is also reported that at least one executive committee member plans to question why CAF’s general secretary, Véron Mosengo-Omba, remains in office despite reaching the statutory retirement age under CAF regulations.
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