AFCON expands from 24 to 28 teams! (Official)

Patrice Motsepe has announced that AFCON will expand from 24 to 28 participants. However, the timeline and future format of the competition remain undetermined.

The Africa Cup of Nations could soon enter a whole new era. In a press conference, Patrice Motsepe revealed CAF's intention to increase the number of teams from 24 to 28—a major evolution following the jump from 16 to 24 teams that took effect in 2019.

However, the president of the continental body did not formally confirm that this reform would be implemented as early as the 2027 AFCON, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. No definitive regulations have been presented either.

Seven groups of four teams?

A format featuring seven groups of four could be considered. The seven group winners and the seven runners-up would advance directly to the round of 16, joined by the two best third-placed teams. The remaining twelve teams would be eliminated.

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This system would preserve a knockout stage featuring sixteen teams. However, comparing the third-placed sides could lead to some inequalities due to varying group strengths.

CAF will also need to revisit the qualifiers, the calendar, and the match distribution. The 28-team format must therefore be presented with caution until its implementation is fully regulated.

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

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Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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