Next year’s Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON could be delayed until 2028 over doubts about the readiness of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda to host the tournament, a move that could lead the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to scrap one edition of its flagship competition.
According to The Guardian, that CAF’s executive committee will discuss the proposal when it meets in Dar es Salaam on Friday, with Morocco’s expected withdrawal as hosts of next month’s Women’s Afcon also on the agenda.
In December, CAF president Patrice Motsepe announced AFCON would be staged every four years instead of every two from 2028.
He said the 2027 tournament would take place in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, with the 2029 edition moved forward to 2028.
Despite interest from South Africa and Botswana to host the 2028 edition, sources say 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,” sources in the CAF executive committee said.
Last August, the three countries faced challenges with ticketing and security while hosting the Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) for domestic-based players.
There are also reported difficulties in finding time in the international calendar for qualifiers, given the potential involvement of 10 African teams at this summer’s World Cup. CAF has not commented on the claims.
Any postponement would mean scrapping the 2028 edition, for which Ethiopia had expressed interest in rivaling a South Africa-Botswana bid. This would allow CAF to launch its first African Nations League in 2029, which is intended to replace the biennial Afcon and CHAN as its main revenue source.
Motsepe has, however, insisted the 2027 tournament will go ahead. “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 aswell. I’m confident that the Afcon in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda will be enormously successful.”
Confusion surrounds the Women’s Afcon, due to start on 17 March, after South Africa offered to step in if Morocco could no longer host. Neither the Moroccan football federation nor CAF has confirmed a venue change, with a decision expected at Friday’s executive committee meeting.
It is also understood that at least one executive committee member will question why CAF’s general secretary, Véron Mosengo-Omba, remains in post despite reaching the statutory retirement age under CAF regulations. (Vanguard)
