Patrice Motsepe unfazed by challenges ahead of 2027 AFCON

Speaking at a press conference in Johannesburg on Wednesday, Motsepe acknowledged that there were challenges facing the tournament's preparations, although he did not specify them.

Kenya's stadium infrastructure has been a key talking point in recent years, with construction timelines coming under scrutiny as the tournament draws closer.

In May, Kenyan government officials insisted that work on the new 60,000-seat Talanta Sports City Stadium in Nairobi, along with renovations to the 48,000-capacity Moi International Sports Centre, remained on schedule.

"We have to have confidence in our people despite the challenges, and sometimes there will be failures, but we have to get up and go again," Motsepe told the media.

"But the Cup of Nations in East Africa will be an enormous success. There are some challenges, but I'm proud of the work the heads of state of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are doing," he added.

The 2027 tournament is scheduled to run from 19 June to 17 July. CAF is yet to confirm the host venues, while the qualification campaign will begin in September this year and conclude in March next year.

Motsepe also revealed that CAF has opened the bidding process for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 editions of the tournament, saying the governing body had received "exciting bids", although he declined to provide further details.

From 2028 onwards, the Africa Cup of Nations will be staged every four years instead of the current biennial cycle.