Why 2027 AFCON is at risk of postponement

Next year’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) could be postponed to 2028 amid growing concerns over preparedness, according to a report by The Guardian.

Doubts over the readiness of joint hosts Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda have reportedly forced the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to consider a proposal that could see the 2027 tournament delayed.

The Guardian reports that CAF’s Executive Committee (ExCo) is expected to discuss the proposal when it meets in Dar es Salaam on Friday, 13 February.

Morocco’s anticipated withdrawal as hosts for next month’s Women’s AFCON is also understood to be high on the agenda.

In December, CAF president Patrice Motsepe announced that AFCON would be staged every four years instead of every two, beginning in 2028.

Under the proposed restructuring, the 2027 tournament, currently scheduled for Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, could be moved, with the 2029 edition potentially brought forward to 2028 to align with the new calendar.

According to several sources within the ExCo, there are significant concerns about infrastructure readiness across the three East African nations and their ability to successfully stage a 24-team tournament spread across 10 cities.

Last August, there were reported challenges involving ticketing systems and security arrangements during the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN), which was hosted across the three East African nations

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Those operational concerns have reportedly raised fresh questions about whether the region will be fully prepared in time for AFCON.

There are also understood to be scheduling complications within the international calendar, particularly with the potential involvement of up to 10 African teams at this year’s FIFA World Cup.

This congestion could make it difficult to complete AFCON qualification matches within the required timeframe.

The publication says CAF has declined to comment on the claims.

Any postponement would have significant ripple effects.

It could mean scrapping the tournament initially penciled in for 2028, a hosting race that had already attracted interest from Ethiopia, alongside a joint South Africa-Botswana bid.

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Such a move would allow CAF to introduce its proposed African Nations League in 2029, a competition it hopes will replace the biennial AFCON and CHAN as a major revenue stream.

Despite the speculation, Motsepe last month insisted that the 2027 tournament would proceed as planned.

“I have a duty to develop football all over Africa,” he said. “I cannot have competitions only in those four countries where you have the infrastructure. You have got to create opportunities for other countries to build infrastructure as well.”

Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania won the joint bid to host the 2027 AFCON in September 2023, seeing off competition from Senegal, widely viewed as a strong contender, as well as Botswana.

Preparations are already underway across the three nations.

In Kenya, the Talanta Sports Complex is nearing completion, while Kasarani and Nyayo stadiums have been closed for renovations.

Tanzania has begun renovations at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, while the 60,000-seater Samia Suluhu Hassan Stadium is under construction.

In Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni last year presided over the opening of the 20,000-seater Hoima City Stadium, which has been earmarked as one of the tournament venues.