Next year’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) might not take place as planned, with reports suggesting a possible postponement to 2028.
Concerns are growing over whether Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda can be ready to host the tournament, which is set to feature 24 teams across 10 cities.
CAF’s executive committee is expected to discuss the issue during its meeting in Dar es Salaam on Friday.
The agenda will also cover Morocco’s possible withdrawal as host of the upcoming Women’s AFCON, which is scheduled to start on March 17.
South Africa has offered to step in if Morocco cannot hold the event, but no official decision has been announced.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe had previously said AFCON will switch to a four-year cycle from 2028.
Under the current plan, the 2027 tournament was to be shared by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, with the 2029 edition moved to 2028.
Sources within CAF now say the 2027 event may be pushed back by a year, while South Africa and Botswana have shown interest in hosting the 2028 tournament.
Concerns about infrastructure, past challenges in ticketing and security during the Africa Nations Championships, and scheduling difficulties with international qualifiers have fueled the possibility of delay.
A postponement would likely cancel the 2028 edition, giving CAF time to launch its first African Nations League in 2029, intended to become the main revenue source in place of the current tournaments.
Motsepe, however, maintains that the 2027 tournament will go ahead. He says hosting in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda will help develop football across Africa and create opportunities for countries with less-developed facilities.
CAF has yet to comment on the reports, and a final decision on both the men’s and women’s tournaments is expected after the executive committee meets on Friday.
Questions about leadership, including the status of CAF general secretary Véron Mosengo-Omba, may also arise during the meeting.
.png)
0 Comments
DISCLAIMER
The views and opinions expressed on this platform as comments were freely made by each person under his or her own volition or responsibility and were neither suggested nor dictated by the owners of News PLATFORM or any of their contracted staff. So we take no liability whatsoever for such comments.
Please take note!