According to recent media reports, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is contemplating a significant and unexpected decision regarding the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations, a move that deals a substantial blow to Morocco’s aspirations of hosting the tournament. This development emerges despite previous public assurances from the confederation’s leadership.
In a statement made last December, CAF President Patrice Motsepe announced a pivotal shift in the competition’s schedule, declaring that the continental championship would transition to a four-year cycle starting in 2028. He clarified that the 2027 edition was already awarded to the joint bid of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, with the subsequent 2029 tournament effectively being brought forward to take place in 2028.
Executive Committee Reviews Hosting Proposal
The CAF Executive Committee is set to deliberate on this crucial proposal during its meeting this Friday. The discussions could potentially alter the previously outlined roadmap, directly impacting the hosting rights for the end of the decade.
Further emphasizing the commitment to the East African nations, Motsepe reiterated in January that the edition assigned to Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda would indeed be held in 2027. He confirmed the tournament’s postponement from February to August of that year, a decision framed as a strategic move. “This is to give the host countries a greater opportunity to invest and pump more of the necessary funds to organize the tournament in a manner worthy of the status of African football,” he explained at the time.
Elaborating on his philosophy for developing the sport across the continent, the CAF president added, “It is my duty to develop football throughout Africa. I cannot organize tournaments in only four countries that possess the infrastructure. Opportunities must be created for the rest of the countries to develop their facilities as well.” Expressing confidence in the upcoming event, he concluded, “I am confident that the Nations Cup in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda will be very successful.” The current review of the 2028 hosting plans, however, introduces a new layer of complexity to these long-term development goals.