DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (AP) 鈥� The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will go ahead as originally planned in Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya, the president of the Confederation of African Football said Friday.
Patrice Motsepe, speaking after a meeting of CAF鈥檚 executive committee, said the tournament will be played in June and/or July and that the organization will be announcing exact dates soon.
Motsepe addressed several issues including last month’s Africa Cup in Morocco and the hosting of the Women鈥檚 Africa Cup of Nations again next month.
Motsepe said the women鈥檚 tournament will go ahead at planned from March 17 to April 3, rebuffing reports that Morocco wanted to withdraw from hosting the tournament for the third time straight after South Africa offered to take over.
鈥淢orocco came to assist. There were many countries that wanted to host it, but because we didn鈥檛 have time, our standards were very, very high,鈥� Motsepe said.
鈥淎s we speak now, we still have an engagement with Morocco. Some of the other countries say, 鈥榩lease can we host it?鈥� But they want to change the date. We can鈥檛 change the date because it鈥檚 one of those qualifiers for the Women鈥檚 World Cup. So, the WAFCON continues, we will make sure it takes place within that window.鈥�
British newspaper The Guardian reported Thursday that the 2027 Africa Cup was to be scrapped and that Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya would instead host the 2028 tournament, but Motsepe said the report was erroneous.
鈥淭here was an allegation that I am here to tell Tanzania and Kenya and Uganda that I鈥檓 taking away the AFCON because our three countries are not going to be ready. That鈥檚 totally unfounded,鈥� Motsepe said.
鈥淎FCON next year in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda is going to be enormously successful 鈥� East Africa is going to be a powerhouse of the best football on the continent.鈥�
If the three East African countries do stage the 2027 tournament, it will be the first since 2013 the competition hasn’t been moved because of problems with the original host.
Motsepe expressed his 鈥渄eep gratitude鈥� to Morocco for hosting the 鈥渕ost successful AFCON in the history of this competition,鈥� but also his disappointment at the , with on-field battles between stewards and Senegal fans, and the Senegal team walking off the field.
鈥淰ery embarrassing. That should never happen again. It will never happen. It鈥檚 a blemish on the outstanding AFCON we had,鈥� Motsepe said.
He said he could not comment on the disciplinary proceedings against the Senegalese and Moroccan federations, but suggested and match bans would likely proceed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Senegal won the final 1-0.
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