Plan to expand Africa Cup of Nations from 24 to 28 teams is rejected

CAF members have rejected a proposal to expand the Africa Cup of Nations from 24 to 28 teams, ending Patrice Motsepe's push to change the tournament format for the 2028 edition.

According to the Guardian, two CAF executive committee members said the proposal was voted down on June 30. One of them said the vote took place by round-robin and that the idea was soundly rejected.

CAF's communications director, Luxolo September, did not confirm the vote outcome directly, but said the expansion idea was part of broader discussions about improving CAF competitions. September said CAF leadership has been discussing for about two years how to make its competitions, especially AFCON, world-class.

From proposal to rejection

Motsepe introduced the expansion proposal in February in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. The plan would have taken AFCON from 24 teams to 28 teams for the 2028 tournament.

The reported rejection means the competition will stay at 24 teams for now. AFCON was last expanded in 2019, when the tournament moved from 16 to 24 teams.

What it means

The decision affects qualification access, the tournament format and planning for the 2028 edition. It also highlights resistance inside CAF to Motsepe's reform push, even as the confederation continues to discuss changes to its competitions.

CAF has already said bids for the 2028 tournament came from Ethiopia, Morocco, and a joint Botswana-South Africa bid. The next Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled for June and July 2027 in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

The available reporting does not include a public CAF vote record, and no formal written statement confirming the rejection was located in the material reviewed.