Motsepe insists AFCON 2027 will proceed as scheduled in the PAMOJA region

Speaking after the CAF Executive Committee (Exco) meeting in Tanzania, Motsepe described the reports, which originated from The Guardian newspaper in England, as unfounded. The 2027 edition, branded PAMOJA AFCON, will mark the return of the continental showpiece to East Africa for the first time since 1976. Motsepe stressed that there are no plans to move or delay the 2027 tournament.

“There was an allegation that I am here to tell Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda that I am taking away AFCON because our three countries are not going to be ready. That is totally unfounded. Sometimes I say certain things and the media either says something totally opposite, like in this context that I said that I am enormously confident that we will succeed,” said Motsepe

Among the major outcomes of the Exco meeting was the revelation that CAF is exploring the possibility of expanding the AFCON tournament from 24 to 28 teams after 2028. Motsepe says the discussions form part of plans to rebrand and strengthen the competition following the decision to stage the tournament every four years.

“I said to you in Morocco that our objective as CAF is to have an AFCON, or the equivelant of an AFCON, every year – not every two years. The AFCON as we know it now we want to increase to 28 countries and, as we said,  that will take place once every four years.”Motsepe also reflected on the challenges leading up to the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon, recalling the pressure to postpone the tournament at the time. He said CAF remained firm then and would continue to prioritise stability and certainty around its flagship competition.

While praising the overall success of the recent AFCON tournament in Morocco, Motsepe expressed disappointment over incidents that occurred during the final between Morocco and Senegal, the eventual winners. Both federations were sanctioned by CAF’s disciplinary committee. He indicated that the Exco is reviewing aspects of CAF’s judicial processes to ensure consistency and strengthen enforcement measures going forward.

Motsepe further addressed questions surrounding CAF General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba, who continues in his role despite having reached retirement age. He acknowledged that the matter has been discussed within CAF structures and said it is being handled in line with the organisation’s statutes.