"CAF" denies the expansion of the Africa Cup of Nations.

The African Football Confederation (CAF) officially confirmed that the Africa Cup of Nations 2027, scheduled to take place in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, will feature 24 teams, denying the accuracy of reports circulated by some media regarding an increase in the number of participating teams.

CAF added in an official statement that its president, Patrice Motsepe, confirmed during a press conference held yesterday, Wednesday, that the tournament format will remain unchanged, with the participation of 24 national teams, emphasizing that the information regarding a change in the number of participants is "inaccurate."

The continental body clarified that the next edition of the Africa Cup of Nations will take place during June and July 2027, with the qualifying rounds for the tournament set to begin in September and October 2026, according to the timeline approved by CAF.

In a related context, CAF issued a temporary agreement today, Thursday, for the global commercial rights, including media, broadcasting, and sponsorship rights, for its main competitions; including the Africa Cup of Nations for the editions of 2028, 2032, and 2036.

The 2025 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, held in Morocco, attracted more than 3.2 billion viewers on television and achieved 6 billion views across digital platforms, making it the third most-watched international tournament for national teams, after the World Cup and the European Championship.