CAF Clarifies AFCON 2027 Team Count After Conflicting Reports Cause Confusion

• CAF issued an official statement after media reports suggested the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations would expand beyond 24 teams
• CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe had previously been quoted as confirming a different team count at a press conference
• CAF also confirmed when the AFCON 2027 qualifiers are set to begin, with the tournament scheduled for June-July 2027

SOUTH AFRICA — The Confederation of African Football stepped in on 23 July 2026 to correct the record after conflicting reports about the size of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations created widespread confusion among football fans and media alike.

In an official post on X, CAF's media account stated that CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe confirmed at a Wednesday press conference that the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 2027 will feature 24 national teams. The statement was direct:

"Media reports suggesting otherwise is untrue."

The clarification came after several reports indicated that Motsepe had confirmed the tournament would expand to 28 teams, with a group stage structured around seven groups of four sides. That report also suggested CAF would release qualification details in due course.

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AFCON 2027 qualifier timeline confirmed

Alongside the team-count clarification, CAF confirmed that qualifiers for the 2027 edition will begin in September or October 2026. The tournament itself is scheduled to run from June to July 2027 and will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

The 2027 edition marks a notable point in the competition's evolution. CAF had already moved the tournament from a biennial to a quadrennial schedule.

See CAF's official clarification post on X.

The back-and-forth over team numbers underscores how sensitive the topic remains for African football stakeholders, particularly as the continent prepares to host one of its most anticipated tournaments in East Africa.

Prize money boost for women's tournament

Briely News previously reported that Motsepe also announced a significant increase in prize money for the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations.

The winning nation will now receive $2 million, double the previous $1 million prize, while each of the 16 qualified teams is guaranteed at least $150,000.

Source: Briefly News