AFCON 2027 to be staged in summer months, no change of host nations – CAF president
SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP via Getty Images
The next edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be staged across June and July 2027, the tournament’s governing body has said.
Patrice Motsepe, the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), also suggested the opening game of the tournament will be held in Tanzania, one of three nations co-hosting the tournament, along with Kenya and Uganda.
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The mining billionaire, who was speaking following a CAF executive meeting in Dar es Salaam, denied reports that the competition was in danger of being “taken away” from the designated host nations due to claims of critical delays relating to infrastructure.
“It’s going to be enormously successful,” he insisted.
Although the 64-year-old did not commit to firm dates, it likely means the majority of African nations will have to race through AFCON qualifying following the completion of this summer’s World Cup.
Motsepe later revealed that he wants to increase the number of countries competing at AFCON once it switches to a four-year cycle after 2028, from 24 nations to 28.
He would also outline some of the consequences for the scenes at the most recent final in Rabat last month, where crowd violence and an injury time walk-off by the ultimately victorious Senegal players and staff led to a 16-minute delay.
That preceded an injury-time Morocco penalty, which if scored would have secured their first AFCON title since 1976, which Edouard Mendy saved from Brahim Diaz.
Motsepe described it as “a moment of extreme disappointment” and said it will result in an amendment to the governing body’s disciplinary code, leading to severe sanctions for anyone who “brings the reputation of African football into disrepute”.
“What happened in the final, we never want to see again,” he reflected. “ We have zero tolerance, it’s none negotiable. If people commit serious transgressions, there should be equally serious punishments and fines.”
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw has been handed a five-match suspension by CAF after ushering his players off the pitch, after finding the 44-year-old guilty of “unsporting conduct” and “bringing the game into disrepute”.
Senegal forwards Iliman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr each received two-match bans for “unsporting behaviour towards the referee”.
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Morocco’s Ismael Saibari was banned for three games and fined $100,000 (£72,000) while Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi given a two-match suspension, with one game suspended for 12 months, each for “unsporting behaviour”.
All suspensions are specific to CAF-governed matches, so will not be applicable to this summer’s World Cup, organised by FIFA, or international friendlies.
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