Motsepe met with Senegalese football chief Bassirou Diomaye Faye during the visit, stressing that his trip was meant to show solidarity with local football leadership. However, he did not directly address CAF’s disputed ruling that stripped Senegal of its AFCON title last month—a decision that has ignited widespread debate across the continent.

The controversy stems from the chaotic January final, in which Senegalese players staged a walkout, prompting questions over officiating and governance in African football. During his visit, Motsepe acknowledged concerns over the credibility of certain refereeing and CAF judicial decisions.

“Some of those decisions do not enjoy the respect and credibility which is very important to us,” he said.

President Faye, who has consistently defended the national team, engaged in talks with Motsepe aimed at easing tensions and restoring confidence in African football administration.

The visit comes as CAF faces growing scrutiny over its decision-making processes, with calls from stakeholders for greater transparency and accountability in managing football across the continent. The Dakar trip underscores Motsepe’s efforts to reassure member associations while navigating a highly sensitive period in African football.

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The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has put speculation to rest, confirming that the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will go ahead as originally scheduled and will not be pushed to 2028.

The decision was reached after an Executive Committee meeting held in Dar es Salaam on Friday, where CAF leaders moved swiftly to address growing reports suggesting a possible postponement.

Those rumours gained momentum earlier this week after UK outlet The Guardian claimed the tournament could be shifted due to concerns over the preparedness of co-hosts Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The report triggered widespread debate, with some stakeholders expressing cautious openness to a delay.

Among them was Kenya’s Local Organising Committee chairman, Nicholas Musonye, who admitted that the country’s election year could pose distractions.

However, CAF president Patrice Motsepe firmly dismissed any suggestion that the tournament would be taken away from East Africa.

“The AFCON next year in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda is going to be enormously successful and I saw lots of media speculation and even the Guardian in London, that there is an allegation that I am here to tell Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda that I am taking away the AFCON because our three countries are not going to be ready,” Motsepe said after the meeting.

“That is totally unfounded. Sometimes I say certain things and the media says something opposite. I am enormously confident that we will succeed. There are always challenges, I had a big challenge in Cameroon [AFCON 2021] soon after I became president [of CAF].

“I was told Cameroon is not ready so I have to take it away and they recommended a number of countries who were ready. But we have to believe in our people that there will be challenges.”

Preparations are ongoing across the three nations. Kenya and Tanzania currently have two new stadiums under construction, while broader concerns around transport, accommodation and training facilities remain part of the logistical conversation.

Still, Motsepe remains optimistic that those hurdles will be cleared before kick-off.

“There will be information in the media that this stadium, pitch or grass is not ready, hotels not enough but we will fix those challenges,” he added.

“We will have a celebration [in East Africa]. I can say as the president of the 54 football associations in Africa, I was so proud of how Tanzania played in Morocco [AFCON 2025], I was proud of how Uganda played and in my head I was so proud of how Kenya would have played.

“And we will use this tournament to find the best young players. East Africa is going to be a powerhouse of the best football on the continental as much as West Africa, North Africa and Southern Africa is a powerhouse.”

With CAF confirming the tournament window of June to July 2027, East Africa can now turn its full attention to final preparations, ready to host the competition in the region for the very first time.

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The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) bid process has been reopened by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The CAF officially revoked Guinea’s hosting privileges last weekend after the West African country had initially been given that honour.

CAF took the decision after Guinea, one of the poorest nations on the continent, formally stated it was not ready to host the competition.

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CAF President, Patrice Motsepe and the general secretary, Veron Moshengo-Omba held a meeting with Guinea’s interim president, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya at the weekend.

Guinea was unable to host a tournament with 24 teams because its facilities and infrastructure weren’t ready.

Cote d’ voire will host the next edition of the AFCON in 2023.

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