The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reportedly initiated discussions with Morocco, Algeria, and South Africa as potential hosts for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). This development comes amid concerns over the preparedness of the designated hosts, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. CAF officially awarded the hosting rights to the East African trio in 2023, with the tournament scheduled to take place from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
According to a report by the French newspaper Le Monde, CAF has made discreet approaches to the mentioned countries, with Egypt and Côte d’Ivoire also being considered due to their existing stadium infrastructure and experience in hosting major continental competitions. This move is seen as a contingency plan should the East African hosts fail to meet the required preparations. CAF conducted an eight-day inspection mission in September 2026, which was followed by further discussions and assessments by President Patrice Motsepe in Kenya and Tanzania.
President Motsepe has acknowledged the urgency surrounding preparations but has publicly maintained that CAF is committed to the East African hosts. Despite the challenges, Motsepe has expressed confidence that Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda can deliver the tournament, urging them to accelerate their preparations. CAF has scheduled further monitoring, with Motsepe expected to return for another inspection in January 2027. This indicates that the organization is closely watching the progress of the hosts.
Morocco, one of the potential alternative hosts, is among the most experienced countries in terms of hosting major football tournaments. The North African country hosted the 2025 AFCON and is preparing to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal. However, Le Monde reported that Morocco had previously indicated it did not intend to seek another AFCON hosting assignment due to its focus on the 2030 World Cup preparations.
The reported contacts by CAF should be viewed as contingency discussions rather than evidence that the tournament has been relocated. Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda remain the designated hosts, and the coming months, including CAF’s planned January inspection, are expected to provide a clearer indication of whether the East African hosts will remain on course to stage the 2027 tournament. For now, there has been no official announcement from CAF changing the 2027 hosting arrangement.
The 2027 AFCON is set to make history as the first tournament to be jointly hosted by three countries. Despite the concerns over preparations, CAF is working closely with the East African hosts to ensure the success of the tournament. The organization has previously ruled out a “Plan B” or “Plan C” following Motsepe's inspection tour, but the recent developments suggest that contingency plans are being put in place.
As the tournament approaches, CAF's monitoring and inspection missions will play a crucial role in determining the readiness of the hosts. The outcome of these inspections will likely influence the final hosting arrangement for the 2027 AFCON. Key points include:
Key points
- CAF has contacted Morocco, Algeria, and South Africa as potential hosts for the 2027 AFCON.
- The 2027 AFCON is scheduled to take place from June 19 to July 17, 2027, and is set to be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
- CAF will conduct further inspections to assess the preparedness of the hosts, with the next inspection planned for January 2027.
