CAF boss confirms when 2027 AFCON will kick off, dismisses delay claims
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Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 13.02.26. | 19:42
Over the past few days, the media has been awash with news that the 2027 edition, which is set to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, will not proceed as scheduled due to the three nations' unpreparedness
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) President, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, has refuted viral reports that the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be pushed back to 2028.
Over the past few days, the media has been awash with news that the 2027 edition, which is set to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, will not proceed as scheduled due to the three nations' unpreparedness.
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The three East African neighbouring countries won the rights to host the tourney in a joint bid dubbed PAMOJA (Swahili word for Together) that also saw them host the 2024 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN).
With the three nations working round the clock to ensure they meet the standards to host the continental tourney, doubts had been raised, especially over the state of infrastructure.
Speaking after the CAF Executive Committee Meeting held on Friday, 13 February in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, President Motsepe extinguished the looming fire.
“The AFCON 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda is going to be enormously successful," said Motsepe.
“I have seen a lot of media speculation, both on social media and mainstream media, including The Guardian, with allegations that I am in Tanzania to strip the three countries' AFCON hosting rights due to their unpreparedness.
That is totally unfounded. I am enormously confident that we will succeed. Will there be challenges? There are always challenges,” added Motsepe who said that the tournament will kick off in July.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns chairman went ahead to reiterate his stance on giving countries that win bids a chance to host the tournament, drawing similarities with the 2021 AFCON edition that took place between January and February 2022 in Cameroon.
“I had a huge challenge in Cameroon soon after I became President and people whose views I respect encouraged me to strip Cameroon of hosting rights and recommended a host of countries with ready infrastructure, but I insisted, and we later had a successful tournament,” he stated.
The South African billionaire went ahead to explain the importance of the 2024 CHAN in relation to the 2027 AFCON, even as he reassured the three nations of CAF’s support.
“One of the reasons why I insisted CHAN be played in the three countries even when we were not ready by February was to enhance their capacity.
Together with the Executive Committee, we are going to work together with the three nations to be ready and ensure we succeed,” he remarked.
Motsepe, who also serves as one of the 8 FIFA Vice Presidents, warned of negative news ahead of the continental showdown in 2027.
“Going forward, we are going to see more news of how our various stadiums will not be ready for AFCON due to the grass, changing rooms, and the rest, but we will work hard to ensure we succeed and make East Africa a football powerhouse just like the rest of the regions,” he added.