Officially: Increase in the Number of Teams at the Africa Cup of Nations

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A new decision from the African Confederation

Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), has announced an increase in the number of teams taking part in the Africa Cup of Nations, starting from the next edition in 2027.

Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will jointly host the 2027 finals, running from 19 June to 17 July.

Speaking at a press conference in South Africa on Wednesday, Motsepe confirmed that CAF had decided to expand the tournament to 28 teams, up from 24.

The last four editions have featured 24 sides, a format that began at the 2019 tournament in Egypt. Now CAF have added four more places from the next edition onwards.

Motsepe said the move aims to give more teams the chance to reach the finals. He stressed that CAF always work to strengthen their competitions and raise the standard within them.

The Africa Cup of Nations will return again in 2028, before switching to a four-year cycle after that.