CAF confirms AFCON 2027 will feature 24 teams

The Confederation of African Football has put an end to the debate that surfaced in recent days over the possibility of increasing the number of teams taking part in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals, confirming that the tournament will be held under the current format without any changes.

CAF’s clarification came after media reports claimed that its president, Patrice Motsepe, had announced an increase in the number of teams competing in the next edition of the tournament to 28, up from 24.

CLARIFICATION:
At Wednesday’s press conference, CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe confirmed that the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 will feature 24 national teams.

Reports circulated by some media outlets suggesting otherwise are inaccurate.… pic.twitter.com/Zm1My1O8vu

— CAF Media (@CAF_Media) July 23, 2026

In an official statement, CAF stressed that the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals will be contested by 24 teams, with no changes to the competition format.

Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania are set to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which will take place in June and July. Qualifiers for the tournament are scheduled to begin in September and October 2026.