The Africa Cup of Nations will be expanded to 28 teams

The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be expanded from 24 to 28 teams, CAF president Patrice Motsepe said on Sunday.

The surprise announcement was made at a press conference following an executive committee meeting with Motsepe, who said it was a testament to his organization’s “commitment to world-class football, with the best African players from around the world returning to compete on the continent.”

But he did not explain how the format will work with four additional teams, nor when it would be implemented.

The last four Cup of Nations finals all had 24 participants, compared to 16 in 2019.

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Motsepe insisted the 2027 finals would go ahead as planned in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

There will be another Cup of Nations tournament in 2028, after which the continent’s showpiece event will take place every four years.

CAF will introduce an annual Nations League from 2029 with a final tournament of 16 teams every two years, he added.

«We must prevent African matches from being predictable, consistent and reliable. We must develop football in East Africa, an area with great potential,» Motsepe said.

Published on March 29, 2026