The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has decided to keep the current format of the Africa Cup of Nations after rejecting a proposal to expand the tournament from 24 to 28 teams beginning with the 2028 edition. The initiative, put forward by CAF president Patrice Motsepe, was submitted to the executive committee for a vote and was ultimately rejected by a wide margin, highlighting differing views on the future of Africa’s premier national team competition.
The decision comes as CAF seeks to strengthen the tournament’s international prestige and establish it as a world-class event on the global football calendar. Although the expansion proposal was rejected, the debate over the format of the Africa Cup of Nations remains ongoing, as the organization believes the evolution of its competitions is part of a broader strategy to drive the long-term growth of African football.
A proposal that failed to convince the executive committee
The plan to increase the number of participating teams was presented by Patrice Motsepe in February during a press conference held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Had it been approved by the executive committee, the new format would have been introduced for the 2028 tournament, increasing the number of participating national teams in one of the continent’s most important football competitions.
However, the proposal faced strong opposition from CAF executives. According to information that emerged following the meeting, two members of the executive committee confirmed that the proposal was rejected in a vote. One described the project as “a very bad idea” and argued that there were no convincing reasons to justify the change. Another committee member stated that the proposal had been presented without prior consultation with the rest of the executive committee, a situation that intensified criticism during the discussions.
CAF remains committed to strengthening African football’s flagship tournament
Despite rejecting the expansion, CAF officials stressed that discussions about the future of the Africa Cup of Nations are not limited solely to the number of participating teams. The organization’s communications director, Luxolo September, explained that, over the past few years, CAF’s leadership has been evaluating several initiatives aimed at turning African competitions into world-class events, with the tournament format representing just one element of a much broader conversation.
While those discussions continue, preparations for the next editions are moving forward as planned. The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be held between June and July in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, in a joint hosting effort designed to promote regional football development. Meanwhile, CAF has already launched the bidding process for the 2028 edition, with applications from Ethiopia, Morocco, and a joint bid from Botswana and South Africa, reflecting the organization’s ongoing strategy to enhance the international profile of both the tournament and African football as a whole.
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