The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Saturday that the next edition of the Africa Cup of Nations finals will be held in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027, while retaining the right to organize the opening and final matches to be announced later. The decision came to officially deny previous reports that talked about the possibility of postponing the tournament to 2028 due to concerns related to the readiness of the host countries, in a precedent that is the first of its kind with three countries organizing the finals of the continental competition returning to East Africa after an absence of 51 years.

Published on: 05/02/2026 - 17:57

The next edition of the African Cup of Nations finals, scheduled to be held in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, will be held from June 19 to July 17, 2027, according to what the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Saturday.

A statement from the Continental Federation said, “The CAF will later announce the host country for the opening match, as well as the one that will host the final match.”

He previously denied postponing the tournament

Last February, the African Union denied press reports that the tournament could be postponed to 2028, given that Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are not yet ready to host it. The South African President of the African Confederation, Patrice Motsepe, said at the time during a press conference in Tanzania: “We have worked a lot to hold the African Cup of Nations in East Africa, and our commitment remains. I am confident that we will organize a very successful tournament in these three countries.”

For his part, the head of the Kenyan organizing committee, Nicholas Musione, told the French news agency that this postponement would be “useful” for Kenya, as legislative and presidential elections are scheduled to be held a month after the tournament, in light of a “tense climate” surrounding these elections.

A historic return to East Africa

This edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the first to be organized by three countries, will mark the tournament's return to East Africa for the first time since the 1976 edition held in Ethiopia.

France 24/AFP

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