The Ultimate Word on Money and Organization
Patrice Motsepe, President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), officially announced the postponement of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, which was scheduled to be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Motsepe stated during a press conference held on Saturday that the tournament was scheduled for February 2027, before the African Union decided to postpone it to August of the same year.
The CAF President stated: “The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations was supposed to be held in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda during February, but we decided to postpone it to August 2027, in order to give the host countries a greater opportunity to invest and inject more of the funds necessary to organize the tournament in a manner befitting the status of African football.”
During the closing conference of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco, Motsepe affirmed the African Union’s commitment to the principle of equality among all member states, stating: “The Confederation of African Football is committed to not favoring any host country. Every country in Africa will be treated with the respect and dignity it deserves, and no one will be treated differently as long as I am the President of the Confederation of African Football.”
The Refereeing File and Video Technology Under Scrutiny
Motsepe addressed the topic of refereeing, affirming his confidence in African referees and CAF’s continuous pursuit of developing the refereeing system, stating: “I met with the referees before the start of the tournament, and I told them that I trust their integrity and competence. We will continue to work on improving refereeing, developing Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology, and other means. We want to make the African Nations League stronger than the Africa Cup of Nations.”
The President of the African Union lauded the organizational level of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Morocco, considering it the most successful edition in the history of the competition, saying: “Most of the matches were held in excellent conditions, whether in terms of infrastructure, stadiums, or facilities. This is the most successful Africa Cup of Nations tournament in history, and the quality of football on display was truly fantastic.”
Attendance of Global Stars and Support for African Football
Motsepe also expressed his pride in the large international attendance witnessed at the tournament, adding: “I am proud to see global stars like Kylian Mbappé, Zinedine Zidane, and Jules Koundé come to watch and support African football. We must unite our peoples through football, and work to deliver high-quality tournaments in every region. I also greatly appreciate the Moroccan hospitality, and it is wonderful to hear the praise that everyone has expressed.”
In closing his statements, Motsepe revealed the African Union’s ambitions regarding the African Nations League tournament, affirming that it will be a strong competitive project, stating: “We look forward to making the African Nations League more exciting than the Africa Cup of Nations, and the judgment on that will be for the fans and the media. A prize of $10 million has been set for the champion, to be the first prize in the competition.”
A Moroccan Dream and a Senegalese Ambition
In a related context, the eyes of football fans in Africa and beyond are turning to the Moroccan capital, Rabat, on Sunday evening, where the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex stadium will host the final match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, which brings together the Moroccan national team, the home side with their fans, and the Senegalese national team.
The Moroccan national team secured its place in the final after a grueling and marathon match in the semi-final round, prevailing over its opponent on penalties with a score of (4-2), after the end of regular and extra time in a goalless draw, in a match characterized by intensity and tactical discipline until the final moments.
On the other hand, the Senegalese national team reached the final after an exciting victory over the Egyptian national team with a clean goal, scored by star Sadio Mané, to lead the “Lions of Teranga” to a new final, and confirm the continuation of their ambitions to dominate African football.
