Ghana, Egypt, Senegal, Morocco and South Africa will take centre stage as hosts of several major African football competitions over the next 15 months after CAF confirmed a series of dates and venues as part of efforts to bring greater stability to its competitions calendar.
The Confederation of African Football said the clearer calendar is intended to give member associations, commercial partners, broadcasters and supporters greater certainty around the continent’s major tournaments.
Among the most significant announcements is the decision to stage the 2027 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana in February and March, while Morocco will host the 2027 U-17 AFCON in April and May.
Egypt will also host the 2027 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, a particularly important tournament because it will serve as Africa’s qualifying competition for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
The hosting decisions come as CAF continues to expand and reorganize its competitions across senior, youth and specialist formats.
Ghana gets U-20 AFCON hosting rights
Ghana will host the 2027 U-20 AFCON, giving the country another opportunity to stage one of the continent’s major youth competitions.
The tournament is scheduled for February and March 2027 and will provide the next generation of African players with a pathway towards senior international football.
The competition will also carry significance beyond the continental title, with performances at youth level potentially providing another route for emerging players to attract attention from clubs and national-team selectors.
CAF has increasingly emphasised its youth competitions as part of its broader football development strategy, with the U-20 and U-17 tournaments providing important competitive platforms for young players across the continent.
Morocco to host U-17 AFCON
Morocco will take over hosting duties for the 2027 U-17 AFCON in April and May.
The North African country has become one of CAF’s regular hosts for major competitions and has already staged the 2026 U-17 AFCON.
The 2026 edition featured 16 teams and highlighted the growing importance of the competition as a pathway for young African players.
Morocco’s hosting role therefore continues as CAF looks to establish greater continuity around its youth competitions.
Egypt’s U-23 tournament will decide Olympic qualifiers
Egypt’s assignment carries a different significance because the 2027 U-23 AFCON will determine Africa’s representatives at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
The tournament is expected to become another important checkpoint for countries developing players capable of progressing from youth international football into the senior game.
For the participating nations, qualification will therefore mean more than competing for an African title; it will also provide a route to one of the world’s biggest multi-sport events.
South Africa to stage CAF Super Cup
South Africa will host the 2027 CAF Super Cup, with the match scheduled for November 8, 2026, in Tshwane.
The fixture will bring together the winners of the 2025/26 CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.
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Mamelodi Sundowns will represent the Champions League, while USM Alger will appear as Confederation Cup holders.
The match is scheduled for 15:00 local time, or 13:00 GMT.
Senegal gets beach soccer tournament
Senegal will host the 2026 CAF Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations in November, continuing the country’s strong association with the competition.
Senegal are the record five-time champions and have won the last five editions, including the 2024 tournament in Egypt. CAF confirmed the country as host in May.
The 2026 tournament will bring together eight nations, with qualification for the 2027 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup among the incentives for the participating teams.
Morocco, meanwhile, will host the 2026 Futsal Africa Cup of Nations from October 12 to 21.
CAF sets September start for inter-club competitions
The new continental club season will also get underway in September, with the preliminary rounds of the 2026/27 CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup scheduled for September 4-6.
Return legs will follow between September 11 and 13.
The draws for the preliminary rounds have already been completed, giving participating clubs their first roadmap towards the group stages.
For CAF, the objective is to create a calendar that allows national associations and clubs to plan their seasons with greater certainty.
CAF also working on new competitions
The organisation said work is continuing on the proposed African Nations League, with the competition’s format having been discussed by the CAF Executive Committee.
CAF is also studying the possibility of launching a new U-17 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, potentially as early as 2027, subject to the necessary sporting and organisational requirements.
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The proposed competition would add another continental platform for young female players and further expand CAF’s women’s football structure.
