CAF President Addresses AFCON 2027 Clashing With Kenya Elections
Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe has assured that the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will not interfere with Kenya’s general elections set to be held in August of that year.
Motsepe, who spoke after a CAF Executive Committee (ExCo) meeting in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on Friday afternoon, February 13, confirmed that the 24-team competition will take place between June and July 2027, though the exact dates are yet to be communicated, thus dismissing claims that the 36th edition of Africa’s top national team tournament could be pushed to 2028.
He also moved to calm concerns that the continental competition would clash with the elections, expected to be a hotly-contested affair with Kenya’s President William Ruto chasing a second term.
Before the meeting, speculation had intensified that the tournament might be delayed by a year. The concerns stemmed from fears that the three host nations might struggle to meet preparation timelines, alongside complications in finalising qualifiers due to a packed football calendar.
Addressing the media in Dar es Salaam, Motsepe dismissed the reports as “totally unfounded.” While acknowledging that Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania could encounter significant hurdles in the build-up, he maintained confidence in the tournament’s outcome, insisting the edition would be a success.
“I am enormously confident that we will succeed. Will there be challenges? Yes, there are always challenges. Let me repeat that there will be information in the media over the next few months that this stadium is not ready, the grass is not ready, or there are not enough hotels. We will fix those challenges. We are going to have a celebration,” Motsepe stated.
