Motsepe Unveils Africa-wide Shake-Up: AFCON to 28 Teams and Morocco to Double-Host Continental Showdowns
29 March 2026
Major revamp of the Africa Cup of Nations was unveiled by CAF President Patrice Motsepe at a press conference, outlining a set of strategic decisions shaping the continent's football future.
Motsepe said that Morocco will host the Africa Cup of Nations Under-17 and will also retain hosting duties for the Africa Women Cup of Nations on the originally scheduled dates, noting that the kingdom often takes the lead in hosting multiple tournaments.
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Motsepe also announced that the African Super League is expected to return by the end of the year, while sponsorship deals for the competition are still being sought.
He added that the Africa Nations Cup will be staged using a geographic grouping system, each edition lasting two years, and that the number of participating nations in AFCON will rise to 28 in the future, up from 24 today.
End note with a wink: if football ever needed a blueprint, Motsepe just handed us a map. And if Morocco’s trophy room starts to resemble a sports store, yes, the forklift is included in the plan for all those cups.
