AFCON 2027: CAF confirms 24-team format, rules out expansion to 28 nations

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially confirmed the format of the next TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027, putting an end to speculation about a possible expansion of the tournament. Following a press conference held on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, in Johannesburg, CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe clarified that the continental showpiece will continue to feature 24 national teams. The announcement comes after reports from some media outlets suggested that the number of participating teams could increase to 28 nations from the 2027 edition.

CAN 2027 to maintain current 24-team format

CAF confirmed that the tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda under the banner “AFCON Pamoja 2027”, will keep the same structure used in recent editions. The competition will therefore bring together 24 teams, divided into groups during the final tournament, with the qualification process and preparations already based on this format. The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to take place in June and July 2027, marking the first time the three East African countries will jointly host Africa’s biggest football competition.

AFCON 2027 qualifiers set to begin in September 2026

CAF also confirmed that the qualifying campaign for the tournament will begin in September and October 2026. National teams across the continent will compete for the 24 available spots, with the qualification race expected to attract strong competition from Africa’s leading football nations. The qualifiers will determine which teams will join the three host nations and compete for the prestigious continental crown.

CAF says future changes will be officially announced

The African football governing body stressed that any possible modification to the tournament format in future editions would only be communicated through official channels. For now, the message from CAF is clear: AFCON 2027 will remain a 24-team competition, maintaining the format introduced in 2019 and expanded from the previous 16-team version.