The Confederation of African Football has announced plans to expand the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) from 24 to 28 teams in future editions, marking another significant change to the structure of the continent’s flagship tournament.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe revealed the proposal during a press briefing in Tanzania, explaining that the competition would also be staged every four years under the new plan.
“The AFCON as we know it now is one of Africa’s most important sporting events,” Motsepe said. “We want to increase it to 28 countries, and, as we have said, hold it every four years. This will allow more nations to compete at the highest level, showcase their talent, and contribute to the growth of African football.”
The current format allows 24 countries to participate, following an expansion from 16 teams in 2019. If approved, the move to 28 teams would represent another historic adjustment and could see the 2027 edition become the final tournament under the 24 team structure before the new format is introduced.
Motsepe stated that the expansion forms part of CAF’s broader strategy to modernise African football, strengthen competitiveness and increase the global appeal of the tournament. By opening the door to more participating nations, CAF aims to provide smaller footballing countries with the opportunity to compete alongside traditional powerhouses, helping to stimulate talent development and grow fan engagement across the continent.
“We plan to increase the number of participants in the Africa Cup of Nations from 24 to 28 teams,” Motsepe said during the press conference.
He added that moving to a four year cycle would give national teams more time to prepare, rebuild and improve squad quality between tournaments, which in turn is expected to raise the overall standard of competition.
“We want to expand the tournament to 28 countries and, as previously mentioned, organize it every four years. This will give more teams the chance to compete at the highest level, showcase their talents, and contribute to the growth of African football.” said Patrice Motsepe.
If ratified, the proposal would reshape Africa’s biggest football competition once again, further cementing its status as the continent’s premier sporting event while offering more nations the opportunity to compete on the grand stage.
