Rabat – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be contested by 24 national teams, putting an end to speculation that the tournament format would be expanded or altered.
CLARITY:
At Wednesday’s press conference, CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe confirmed that the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 2027 will have 24 National Teams.Media reports suggesting otherwise is untrue.
The AFCON 2027 will be played in June-July 2027 and the… pic.twitter.com/5epJB9WtMU
— CAF Media (@CAF_Media) July 23, 2026
In an official clarification released on Thursday, CAF stated that its president, Patrice Motsepe, reaffirmed during Wednesday’s press conference that the 2027 edition will retain the current 24-team format.
The governing body dismissed recent media reports suggesting otherwise, describing them as inaccurate and without any factual basis.
CAF also confirmed that the 2027 AFCON will take place in June and July 2027, in line with the competition calendar announced earlier.
The qualification campaign is scheduled to begin in September and October 2026, with national teams across Africa competing for one of the 24 places at the continent’s biggest football tournament.
The clarification comes after speculation circulated in several media outlets about a possible increase in the number of participating teams. CAF has now made it clear that no changes have been made to the competition format.
