Morocco could be asked to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) if plans to stage the tournament in East Africa falter, according to information published by Assahifa Arabic and attributed to a senior member of the Confederation of African Football’s executive committee.
The source told Assahifa Arabic that CAF is “seriously” discussing the possibility of transferring hosting rights from the joint bid of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda to Morocco. The proposal is currently being examined within a narrow circle inside the continental governing body, with CAF President Patrice Motsepe said to be personally backing the idea if it gains sufficient traction.
Under the scenario being considered, Morocco would stage the tournament in the summer of 2027, while the East African edition would be postponed to 2028. According to the same source, Motsepe would seek to convince Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, to accept the plan should internal consultations move forward.
CAF officials involved in the discussions reportedly believe the three East African hosts are not ready to deliver the tournament on schedule. Delays in stadium construction, infrastructure upgrades and accommodation facilities are said to be raising concerns within the organization about meeting the required standards.
The source added that some within CAF see Morocco as the only country currently capable of organizing the competition in 2027 at a level comparable to recent editions, particularly in terms of stadium quality, logistics, commercial appeal and broadcast production. Financial returns from the last tournament hosted in Morocco, especially from sponsorships, television rights and marketing, are said to have reinforced that perception.
However, the proposal has not yet been formally presented to Moroccan authorities. The official cited by Assahifa Arabic acknowledged that Rabat is unlikely to agree easily, noting that Morocco’s focus has increasingly shifted toward preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which it will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
Another complicating factor is what the source described as a cooling in relations between the Moroccan federation and CAF following controversies surrounding the most recent final. Moroccan officials, the source said, felt the continental body did not sufficiently defend the host nation against what they viewed as misleading narratives and criticism during the tournament.
Despite these sensitivities, the source concluded that Morocco has the capacity to “rescue” the 2027 tournament if required. Any preliminary agreement, however, would likely depend on new conditions and understandings different from those governing the previous edition, reflecting both commercial expectations and institutional considerations within African football’s governing structures.
