AFCON 2027/2028 Faces Fresh Uncertainty As CAF Convenes Emergency Talks

AFCON 2027/2028 Faces Fresh Uncertainty As CAF Convenes Emergency Talks

Sampson Adedeji

Fresh uncertainty continues to surround the future of the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations, with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) reportedly grappling with serious scheduling challenges and the possibility of another cancellation, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

According to reports from CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, the status of the 2028 tournament remains unresolved. CAF’s Executive Committee is expected to hold an emergency meeting in Rabat, Morocco, on the night of the final of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations next month, where a decisive ruling will be made on whether the tournament can go ahead as planned or if major adjustments will be required.

A senior CAF official disclosed that the Executive Committee has instructed the competitions department to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for the 2028 edition. The official noted that if available timelines and suitable dates cannot be secured, CAF will be forced to take what it considers the most appropriate decision in the best interest of the competition.

Another source within CAF revealed that one of the proposals discussed at recent meetings was the possibility of merging the 2027 and 2028 Africa Cup of Nations into a single tournament to be staged in 2028. 

However, the idea reportedly failed to gain significant support and remains on hold, pending the final recommendations from the competitions department.

Scheduling conflicts with FIFA’s international match calendar are expected to be one of the major hurdles at the upcoming meeting, as organizing two AFCON tournaments in consecutive years presents significant logistical and commercial challenges.

The 2027 edition is already scheduled to take place in the summer across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. 

This leaves CAF with only two available international windows to stage qualifiers for the 2028 tournament, should it be fixed for January or February.

Postponing the 2028 AFCON to the summer would create a direct clash with the Los Angeles Olympic Games, while shifting it to 2029 is considered unfeasible due to the staging of the expanded FIFA Club World Cup in the same year.

With limited options on the table, CAF’s emergency meeting in Rabat is expected to play a decisive role in shaping the immediate future of Africa’s flagship football tournament.