Africa Cup of Nations Set to Expand to 28 Teams by 2028

2026-03-31 community

Nairobi, 31 March 2026
African football’s premier tournament will grow from 24 to 28 teams starting in 2028, CAF President Patrice Motsepe announced following an executive committee meeting on 29 March 2026. This marks the second expansion in less than a decade, after the tournament increased from 16 to 24 teams in 2019, demonstrating CAF’s commitment to greater inclusivity across the continent’s 54 nations.

Motsepe’s Vision for African Football Development

Speaking at a press conference following the CAF executive committee meeting on Sunday 29 March 2026, Motsepe did not specify the exact tournament structure or implementation timeline for the expanded format [1][2]. However, he emphasised that the changes reflect ‘CAF’s commitment to developing world-class football with the best African players from all over the world returning to compete on the continent’ [1][2]. The South African businessman, who was elected CAF president in 2021 and re-elected in 2025, became the first South African to lead the continental football governing body [1][2]. His announcement comes as part of broader reforms aimed at modernising African football and expanding its global reach [7].

2027 Tournament Proceeds as Planned Despite Expansion

Despite the upcoming changes, Motsepe confirmed that the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will proceed as scheduled in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda [1][2][4][8]. This tri-nation hosting arrangement represents a significant moment for East African football development. ‘We must develop football in East Africa, which is an area of much potential,’ Motsepe stated during the press conference [4]. Following the 2027 edition, CAF plans to stage an additional tournament in 2028, after which the competition will transition to a four-year cycle, moving away from its traditional biennial format [1][2][4][8]. This scheduling change aligns the Africa Cup of Nations more closely with other major international tournaments [7].

New African Nations League to Launch in 2029

Alongside the AFCON expansion, CAF announced plans to introduce an African Nations League starting in 2029, designed to provide regular, high-quality competitive matches between major tournaments [1][2][4][7]. The new competition will be played annually, featuring a 16-team finals tournament staged every two years [1][2][4]. Motsepe explained that there will be two versions of the competition: the ‘African Nations League Continental’, which will involve regional competitions with winners advancing to a central tournament, and the ‘African Nations League Pan-African’, which will follow a format identical to the current AFCON structure [5]. This initiative aims to enhance competitiveness and ensure that ‘African fixtures are predictable, consistent and reliable’ [4][8].

Addressing Integrity Concerns Following Recent Controversy

The expansion announcement comes amid ongoing controversy surrounding the 2026 AFCON final, where Senegal were initially ruled to have forfeited their match against Morocco after walking off the pitch over a penalty decision [4]. Although Senegal returned to win 1-0 in extra time, the CAF Appeal Board later stripped them of the title, a decision currently being challenged at the Court of Arbitration for Sport [4][8]. Motsepe acknowledged that CAF has been ‘struggling with perceptions about its integrity’ but insisted that the organisation has ‘made significant progress over the past five years in implementing governance, ethics, transparency and managerial best practices’ [4]. To address these concerns, CAF has ‘taken extensive legal advice from top African and international football lawyers and experts, to ensure that the CAF statutes and regulations adhere to and implement global football best practices’ [4]. The governing body is also working with FIFA on ongoing training for referees, VAR operators and match commissioners to ensure they ‘are as good as the best in the world’ [4].

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African football tournament expansion