JUST IN: CAF has announced plans to scale the AFCON tournament from 24 to 28 teams 

latest verified update on the AFCON expansion you mentioned from the press conference held today:

⚽ CAF Confirms Expansion of AFCON to 28 Teams

• The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially announced plans to increase the number of teams in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) from 24 to 28.
• CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe confirmed the plan in a press conference following the CAF Executive Committee meeting, stating this expansion is part of broader efforts to develop and grow the tournament’s stature and competitive opportunities across the continent.
• The expansion is expected to take effect at the beginning of the next four-year cycle, meaning the 2027 edition (co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda) will likely be the last AFCON with 24 teams. Future editions after that cycle will feature 28 nations.

🏆 Context – Broader CAF Competition Reforms

This expansion happens alongside other major CAF changes:

• AFCON is shifting to a four-year cycle after the 2027 tournament, moving away from being a biennial competition.
• CAF is launching an African Nations League to create more regular competitive fixtures between national teams outside AFCON years.