A storm of uncertainty is gathering over the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations as questions about Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda’s readiness force CAF into a high-stakes reckoning. What was meant to be a triumphant return of the continent’s premier tournament to East Africa now risks slipping into the calendar — and into history — if officials opt to push the event back to 2028.
A Tense Countdown to Dar es Salaam
This week, the Confederation of African Football’s executive committee will confront a fraught choice in Dar es Salaam: press ahead with AFCON 2027 as scheduled, or delay the tournament by a year. The decision carries weighty consequences — postponing AFCON would effectively erase one edition from the cycle and reshape the continent’s football calendar.
Also on the agenda is the looming question over Morocco’s role as host of next month’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, adding another layer of urgency to CAF’s deliberations.
Why the Alarm Bells Are Ringing
Sources close to the process say the core worry is infrastructure. Hosting a 24-team AFCON across ten cities demands stadiums, transport, security and ticketing systems that work seamlessly together. Critics point to last August’s Africa Nations Championships (CHAN), where ticketing and security hiccups exposed vulnerabilities in the region’s event-readiness.
Complicating matters further are the qualification logistics. With the possibility of up to ten African teams at this summer’s World Cup, scheduling windows are tight and the qualification calendar is increasingly congested.
What a Postponement Would Mean
A one-year delay would ripple across the continent. The tournament originally slated for 2028 — which had drawn interest from Ethiopia and a South Africa–Botswana joint bid — would be shelved. That would clear space for CAF’s ambitious new plan: launching an African Nations League in 2029, a competition designed to become a major revenue engine and reshape the sport’s competitive landscape in Africa.
For fans, federations and host cities, the stakes are enormous: lost momentum, altered investment timetables, and the political fallout of a decision that touches national pride.
Leadership, Vision and a Vote of Confidence
CAF President Patrice Motsepe has publicly defended the East African hosts, arguing that spreading major tournaments beyond a handful of well-equipped countries is essential to developing football across the continent. He has framed AFCON in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda as an opportunity to spur infrastructure growth and broaden access to top-level competition.
Yet confidence alone may not be enough. The executive committee’s verdict in Dar es Salaam will hinge on hard evidence of readiness — timelines, payments, security plans and the ability to stage a tournament that meets CAF’s standards.
The Final Whistle Is Approaching
As the clock ticks toward the meeting, the mood is a mix of optimism and apprehension. For Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, the coming days are a test of delivery: can they convert political will and investment into operational certainty? For CAF, the choice is strategic and symbolic — whether to protect the tournament’s continuity or to pause, recalibrate and launch a new era of African football on a different timetable.
Whichever path is chosen, the decision will reverberate across the continent and define the next chapter of African football.
