The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is reportedly considering postponing the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) amid ongoing changes to the tournament’s scheduling framework.
CAF is seeking to move the competition to a four-year cycle, with the first edition under the revised format expected to take place in 2028. As a result, concerns have emerged over the feasibility of hosting the tournament in 2027 as originally planned.
Sources at CAF’s headquarters in Cairo revealed doubts about the readiness of the designated host nations—Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya—to stage the competition on schedule. Discussions are reportedly ongoing, with a possible shift to 2028 now under consideration. A final decision is expected in the coming months following consultations with the host countries and key stakeholders.
Meanwhile, CAF has imposed heavy sanctions on Algeria following their 2–0 defeat to Nigeria in the quarterfinals of the recently concluded AFCON, which was eventually won by Senegal.
CAF cited what it described as “condescending behaviour” by Algerian players, officials, and supporters, issuing fines amounting to $150,000. The penalties include $25,000 for misconduct by players and officials, $5,000 for involvement in a general melee, $50,000 for offensive conduct by fans, $10,000 for attempted pitch invasion, $5,000 for the use of smoke, and an additional $50,000 for supporters’ provocative display of banknotes—interpreted as an allegation of corruption against CAF.
Several Algerian players were also sanctioned. Goalkeeper Luca Zidane received a two-match suspension for his involvement in an altercation with Nigeria’s Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, ruling him out of the opening AFCON 2027 qualifiers. Right-back Rafik Belghali was handed a four-match ban, with two games suspended, for threatening match officials.
In response, the Algerian Football Federation announced its intention to appeal the sanctions, describing them as excessive and unjust.
CAF is also expected to review incidents involving Senegal during the AFCON final against Morocco. The Senegalese team briefly left the pitch for 17 minutes following the award of a penalty against them—an action criticised by both CAF and FIFA.
Although Senegal eventually returned to the field and went on to win the trophy, the incident has drawn widespread criticism and raised concerns about its impact on the image of African football.