Foot-Africa exclusive – AFCON 2027: “Everyone says it’s impossible to hold”, warns Romain Molina

In an exclusive interview with Foot-Africa, Romain Molina criticises the management of the AFCON schedule and expresses concern about the 2027 edition.

Why did CAF reverse its decision to hold the Africa Cup of Nations every four years? Will the 2027 edition be able to take place on the scheduled dates? Interviewed by Foot-Africa, Romain Molina gives his analysis of the governing body’s decisions and the difficulties involved in organising the tournament.

Why did CAF switch from two years to four, before reversing course?

Romain Molina: “Actually, it’s very simple. When they decided to move to four years, they did not consult the federations. No general assembly was convened. The 54 affiliated federations found out that way. Some members of the executive committee said: ‘Yes, it needs to be done.’ We have Ahmed Yahya, Souleiman Hassan Waberi, Samuel Eto’o and also Fouzi Lekjaa. All four of them consistently aligned themselves with the interests of Gianni Infantino’s FIFA. The others said nothing. So they force it through, nobody asks why, and they explain to them that it’s better. Less than a year later, they explain that, in the end, it was not a good idea. It shows just how much they take people for fools.

But, on the other hand, when it came to switching back to two years, they asked all the federations for their opinion. So, when FIFA wants to move to an edition every four years, nobody is asked anything and it is forced through. But when FIFA tells you that, in its war with UEFA, it doesn’t care whether it is every four years or every two years…

The decision to move to two years was intended to appease Europe, as well as the clubs and federations. That is why they wanted to switch back to an edition every four years. And now they are switching back to every two years. So we realise that at no point was this done in the interests of African football, but simply in response to conflicts involving FIFA and UEFA.

There is also another point: CAF is in a very poor financial situation, and organising a Nations League will bring in no revenue.”

Will AFCON 2027 take place on the scheduled dates?

Romain Molina: “I have always said it: on the executive committee, apart from Patrice Motsepe, there is nobody else who thinks that this AFCON can take place on the scheduled dates in 2027. Especially since it will be held just before the presidential elections in Kenya, in a very tense context.

There is an enormous delay in the infrastructure, and not just the stadiums. There are also training pitches, hotel capacity, security arrangements and, above all, healthcare facilities. Everyone says it’s impossible to hold. There is unanimity on the executive committee that Patrice Motsepe is crazy.”

AFCON 2027: from 19 June to 17 July, with 24 teams

According to the schedule announced by CAF, AFCON 2027 is set to take place from 19 June to 17 July 2027. This 36th edition will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, marking the first time in the competition’s history that it will be staged by three countries. It will also mark the tournament’s return to East Africa, for the first time since the edition held in Ethiopia in 1976.

The finals will feature 24 national teams, including the three host countries, who qualify automatically. The qualifiers will continue during the international window from 9 to 17 November 2026, before the final two rounds scheduled for 22 to 30 March 2027.

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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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AFCON - Africa Cup of Nations