The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is considering delaying the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations by a year, following internal doubts about whether Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will be ready to host the tournament on schedule.
The issue is due to be discussed at a CAF Executive Committee meeting in Dar es Salaam on Friday, February 13, 2026, with members expected to study inspection reports and reviews from recent CAF competitions held in the three countries.
The competition was awarded as a joint hosting project and is planned to feature 24 teams across 10 cities, marking AFCON’s first appearance in East Africa. According to The Guardian, CAF’s main worries centre on infrastructure timelines, covering stadium work, transport links and matchday operations at several venues.
CAF inspection teams have spent the past year assessing major venues in Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Kampala, with upgrades still in progress at grounds such as Kasarani Stadium and Nyayo Stadium in Kenya, both of which have been closed at different points to allow renovation work linked to AFCON standards.
Officials are also looking at pressure on the international calendar ahead of the 2027 finals. With up to 10 African teams expected at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, available dates for AFCON qualifiers are limited.
Any delay would carry wider consequences. There are already plans to move AFCON to a four-year cycle starting in 2028, meaning a postponement could result in one edition being removed entirely rather than replayed later.
