Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe on Saturday acknowledged that Morocco’s hosting of the Africa Cup of Nations has set a new benchmark for the tournament but dismissed concerns over East Africa’s readiness to stage the 2027 edition.
Morocco, which is preparing to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, is also being considered as a potential host for the 2028 AFCON as part of its preparations for the global showpiece.
Motsepe revealed that several countries have expressed interest in hosting the 2028 tournament but reaffirmed that the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will proceed as planned in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The three nations jointly hosted last year’s African Nations Championship (CHAN), a competition reserved for locally based players, although the event was postponed from early in the year to August to allow additional time for infrastructure upgrades.
“Part of being a leader is making difficult and sometimes unpleasant decisions,” Motsepe said. “I have a responsibility to develop football across the entire continent. We cannot limit major tournaments to only countries with the most advanced infrastructure.”
He expressed confidence in the region’s ability to deliver a successful event, adding: “The AFCON in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania will be enormously successful. We are not taking the tournament away from these countries.”
The 2027 edition will mark the first time the Africa Cup of Nations is held in East Africa since Ethiopia hosted the competition in 1976. It will also be the last tournament before AFCON transitions to a four-year cycle, having traditionally been staged every two years since its inaugural edition in 1957.
Motsepe announced the shift to a four-year cycle on the eve of the tournament in Morocco and on Saturday dismissed suggestions that the decision was influenced by pressure from leading European clubs or world governing body FIFA.
