South Africa's Afcon Expansion Bid Rejected

South Africa's bid to expand the Africa Cup of Nations from 24 to 28 teams has been rejected, dealing a blow to the team's ambitions ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The proposal, made by Confederation of African Football (Caf) president Patrice Motsepe, was voted down by the Caf executive committee.

Why it Matters for South Africa

The rejection of the expansion bid is a significant setback for South Africa's football ambitions. The team is currently 5 points behind leaders Mexico in the World Cup standings, with a recent form of 1W-2D-2L (LWDDL). They have scored 2 goals and conceded 3 in the process, with a goal difference of -1.

What Comes Next?

The next Africa Cup of Nations is set to be hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania in June-July 2027. Caf has launched the bidding process for hosting rights for the 2028 tournament, with Ethiopia, Morocco, and Botswana-South Africa joint bids in the running. The decision to reject the expansion bid has been met with criticism from some quarters, with one Caf executive committee member describing it as a "very bad idea".

Context

South Africa is currently 2nd in the World Cup standings, with 4 points from 3 games. They have a recent form of LWDL, with their last result being a 0-1 loss to Canada on June 28, 2026. The team's title race is 5 points behind leaders Mexico, with a goal difference of -1. The Africa Cup of Nations expansion bid rejection is a significant setback for the team's ambitions ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Bids for 2028

Caf has launched the bidding process for hosting rights for the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations. Ethiopia, Morocco, and Botswana-South Africa joint bids are in the running. The decision to reject the expansion bid has been met with criticism from some quarters, with one Caf executive committee member describing it as a "very bad idea".

Luxolo September's Statement

Caf's communications director, Luxolo September, has stated that the proposal to expand the Afcon was only "one aspect" of the debate on how to improve the tournament. He said that the conversation on the Afcon format is an ongoing discussion within Caf. The next Afcon, in June-July 2027, is to be hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Caf says bids for 2028 have come from Ethiopia, Morocco, and jointly from Botswana and South Africa. "Caf recently launched the bidding process for hosting rights," September said. "Caf leadership is united behind one vision: making African football amongst the best in the world.