AFCON 2027: Five countries that could replace Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda as hosts

Foot Africa Analysis.. AFCON 2027: Five Countries that could step in if East Africa cannot host

Africa 29 October 2026 at 03:00

Add Foot Africa on Google

AFCON 2027: Five countries that could replace Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda as hosts

With fewer than eight months remaining before AFCON 2027, Foot Africa examines five countries that could realistically be considered as emergency hosts if Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda fail to meet CAF's requirements.

The tournament is scheduled to run from 19 June to 17 July 2027 with 24 national teams competing across the three East African countries.

Despite reports of infrastructure delays, CAF President Patrice Motsepe has repeatedly rejected the possibility of an alternative hosting plan.

However, a raised questions about contingency arrangements.

So, if an emergency decision became necessary which countries could realistically deliver the tournament?

Five possible alternatives: Foot Africa's assessment

Morocco

Morocco offers a compelling case based on its recent hosting experience.

The country staged AFCON 2025 across nine stadiums in six cities, demonstrating its capacity to accommodate a 24 team continental tournament.

Its facilities in Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Marrakech, Agadir and Fez provide a substantial foundation for another competition.

From Foot Africa's perspective, this recent experience would make Morocco an obvious country to examine in any emergency assessment.

However, one significant consideration remains: the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

Morocco is continuing infrastructure development and stadium upgrades ahead of that tournament including construction of the Grand Stade Hassan II near Casablanca.

The crucial question would be which existing venues could be made available in June 2027 without interfering with scheduled construction or modernisation projects.

Morocco's recent AFCON experience is an advantage but it does not automatically guarantee stadium availability.

FIFA will inspect proposed stadiums and host cities across Morocco, Spain and Portugal in November and December as preparations for the 2030 World Cup enter a decisive phase. The international football governing body announced Tuesday that inspection teams would assess venues in all three countries to determine whether they meet the technical and organizational requirements for hosting tournament matches. In Morocco, the inspections will cover Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Marrakech, Agadir and Fes. Read more : https://t.co/nxhAfyvBs0 #HespressEng #Morocco #FIFA #WorldCup2030 #CMH
— Hespress English (@HespressEnglish) October 28, 2026

Egypt

Egypt offers something particularly relevant to the current discussion, experience in taking over an Africa Cup of Nations at short notice.

After CAF withdrew the 2019 tournament from Cameroon, Egypt was awarded the hosting rights on 8 January, just over 5 month before the competition began.

The country subsequently staged the first 24 team AFCON across 6 stadium in 4 cities.

That precedent makes Egypt a credible option to assess if CAF were forced into another emergency decision.

Cairo International Stadium, alongside facilities in Alexandria, Ismailia and Suez, formed part of the 2019 hosting network.

In Foot Africa's assessment, Egypt's strongest argument is not simply its stadium infrastructure but its demonstrated ability to coordinate the organisational requirements of a large tournament within a compressed preparation period.

Nevertheless, any new assignment would require fresh technical inspections, financial guarantees and confirmation of government support.

🚨 BREAKING: Egypt is the alternative host for the U20 AFCON if Ghana fails to meet the required deadline. 🇬🇭 Ghana must meet CAF’s requirements within the set timeframe to avoid losing its hosting rights‼️ https://t.co/eEOlzBFSdk
— Vuvuzela.foot (@vvzfoot) October 24, 2026

South Africa

South Africa possesses one of the continent's most established major event hosting records.

It staged the FIFA World Cup 2010 and the Africa Cup of Nations 2013, with facilities including Johannesburg's FNB Stadium and Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium.

The country also submitted a bid to replace Cameroon as AFCON 2019 host, before CAF ultimately selected Egypt.

Those experiences offer evidence of administrative and sporting infrastructure capable of supporting a major international competition.

However, the practical question is whether sufficient venues, training grounds and accommodation facilities could be secured for the required dates in 2027.

An emergency hosting agreement would also need government approval and a substantial operational commitment.

Africa’s most expensive football stadiums: 2026 1. 🇿🇦 DHL Stadium (Cape Town): $600M 2. 🇿🇦 Moses Mabhida Stadium: $450M 3. 🇿🇦 FNB Stadium: $440M 4. 🇲🇦 Grand Stade de Tanger: $360M 5. 🇳🇬 Moshood Abiola Stadium: $360M 6. 🇰🇪 Talanta Stadium: $350M 7. 🇨🇲 Olembe Stadium: $330M 8. 🇿🇦 Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium: $270M 9. 🇨🇲 Japoma Stadium: $232M 🇿🇦 South Africa leads with four stadiums, largely built or redeveloped for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. 🇲🇦 Morocco’s Grand Stade Hassan II, with a projected cost of up to $1.4 billion, is excluded from the ranking as it remains in the early stages of construction.
— Global Statistics Wire (@stats_wire) October 25, 2026

Algeria

Algeria has invested in football infrastructure and successfully hosted the African Nations Championship in early 2023.

That competition used four principal stadiums in Algiers, Oran, Constantine and Annaba.

Facilities such as the Nelson Mandela Stadium and Miloud Hadefi Stadium demonstrate the country's capacity to stage international football.

However, the African Nations Championship and the 24 team Africa Cup of Nations differ in scale and operational requirements.

Algeria's stadium infrastructure would justify technical consideration but CAF would need to establish whether enough suitable venues and supporting facilities could be made available.

The willingness of the Algerian authorities to assume an emergency hosting assignment would be equally important.

Foot Africa has previously examined reports linking Algeria with a possible AFCON 2027 replacement scenario.

World Class Stadiums in Algeria 🇩🇿, Africa 🏟️ . Nelson Mandela Stadium, Algiers Ali La Pointe Stadium, Algiers Miloud Hadefi Stadium, Oran Hocine Aït Ahmed Stadium, Tizi Ouzou https://t.co/QF0A9sawaM
— Africa First (@AfricaFirsts) October 9, 2026

Côte d'Ivoire

Côte d'Ivoire offers a different advantage, a relatively recent hosting operation that could provide a foundation for another edition.

The country staged AFCON 2023, held in January and February 2024 using six stadium across five cities.

The facilities included the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, the Stade de la Paix in Bouaké and venues in Yamoussoukro, Korhogo and San Pedro.

That infrastructure was developed to support the same 24 team tournament format.

Côte d'Ivoire could therefore be considered in a hypothetical emergency assessment without starting an extensive stadium development programme from scratch.

However, CAF would still need to reassess venue conditions, operational availability and whether the country's authorities would be prepared to organise another tournament at short notice.

After AFCON, Côte d’Ivoire continues to set the example by keeping its stadiums in great condition. 🏟️🇨🇮 Great to see the infrastructure well maintained even after the tournament. How are stadiums maintained in your country? https://t.co/uVb7lR1t2i
— Benjamin Umba (@benjimk) March 10, 2026

The biggest obstacle may not be stadiums

While the five countries possess relevant infrastructure and hosting experience, moving AFCON 2027 would involve far more than finding suitable football venues.

CAF's September 2026 inspection mission examined accommodation, airports, transport, safety, security, training facilities and broadcasting requirements alongside stadiums.

An alternative host would need to satisfy those requirements while coordinating ticketing, team logistics, commercial arrangements and government guarantees within a rapidly shrinking timeframe.

The AFCON 2027 qualifying format adds another complication.

Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda currently hold automatic places as tournament co hosts. Any change to hosting arrangements could therefore require CAF to clarify the consequences for qualification.

Morocco remain the leading African country when it comes to CAF-approved stadiums, with 16 venues currently approved. 🚨🇲🇦 🇿🇦 South Africa — 13 🇪🇬 Egypt — 8 🇩🇿 Algeria — 7 🇲🇱 Mali — 5 🇨🇲 Cameroon — 5 🇱🇾 Libya — 3 🇹🇳 Tunisia — 3 🇺🇬 Uganda — 3 🇦🇴 Angola — 2 🇨🇩 DR Congo — 2 🇹🇿 Tanzania — 1 Zanzibar — 1 🇸🇸 South Sudan — 1 Meanwhile, these countries currently have no CAF-approved stadium: 🇧🇯 Benin 🇨🇫 Central African Republic 🇩🇯 Djibouti 🇪🇷 Eritrea 🇬🇲 Gambia 🇱🇸 Lesotho 🇲🇬 Madagascar 🇸🇹 São Tomé and Príncipe 🇸🇨 Seychelles 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone 🇸🇴 Somalia 🇸🇩 Sudan #AfricanFootball
— Micky Jnr (@MickyJnr__) August 17, 2026

When would CAF have to make a decision?

There is no publicly confirmed final deadline for deciding whether AFCON 2027 must be relocated.

However, January 2027 has emerged as an important inspection milestone, following Motsepe's announcement of another assessment visit.

That would leave approximately five months before the scheduled opening match.

Egypt's experience in 2019 demonstrates that emergency organisation within a similar timeframe is possible but it does not guarantee that the same approach would succeed under different circumstances.

The longer CAF waits, the more difficult it could become to reorganise the tournament's operational arrangements.

Foot Africa's verdict: Which options deserve serious consideration?

Based on recent tournament experience and the infrastructure already demonstrated, Morocco and Egypt present particularly relevant cases for an initial emergency assessment.

Morocco has the advantage of recently delivering a 24 team AFCON using nine stadiums while Egypt has the strongest direct precedent for assuming the competition following a last minute change of hosts.

South Africa also offers extensive international hosting experience while Côte d'Ivoire and Algeria possess infrastructure that deserves consideration.

However, none can be regarded as immediately available without updated technical inspections and formal government commitments.

The ultimate question is not simply which country has the most stadiums but which could make an entire tournament operational in the limited time remaining.

For now, CAF remains committed to the PAMOJA project.

🏟️ African nations with the most 45,000+ seat stadiums: 🇿🇦 South Africa - 10 🇲🇦 Morocco - 6 🇩🇿 Algeria - 5 🇪🇬 Egypt - 4 🇨🇩 DR Congo - 2 🇿🇲 Zambia - 2 🇦🇴 Angola - 2 🇹🇳 Tunisia - 2 🇨🇲 Cameroon - 2 🇸🇳 Senegal - 2 https://t.co/mSqIgxQUfW
— Global Statistics Wire (@stats_wire) May 30, 2026

As Ghanaian journalist Micky Jnr previously explained in an exclusive interview with Foot Africa, Motsepe has consistently rejected alternative hosting plans while the readiness of the three nations remains subject to technical assessment.

Foot Africa's view is that studying potential alternatives is a reasonable exercise in risk assessment, not evidence that CAF intends to withdraw the tournament from East Africa.

Until the governing body announces otherwise, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda remain the legitimate hosts of AFCON 2027.

This article follows our newsroom’s editorial standards. To learn more about how we create and fact-check our content, see our Editorial Policy .

Khaled Hegazy |

Editorar, en

Journaliste sportif spécialisé dans la couverture du football et la création de contenu numérique, alliant expérience éditoriale et expertise des médias sociaux.