When is the next AFCON? Year, host country of Africa Cup of Nations finals

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco has produced an entertaining month of football across December and January.

The final on January 18 sees the host nation take on a hugely impressive Senegal side in what promises to be a fiercely contested match.

AFCON fans will not have long to wait until the next edition of the tournament — indeed, qualifying starts in March 2026 — but the cycle will soon be changing to be more in line with FIFA's flagship World Cup and Club World Cup competitions.

Below, the AllSportsPeople looks at when and where the next AFCON takes place.

MORE: Most AFCON titles in history | Top goal-scorers at 2025 AFCON in Morocco

When is the next AFCON?

The next Africa Cup of Nations will be held in 2027.

Unlike the previous edition, it will take place during the summer months of the northern hemisphere. The precise dates are yet to be confirmed, but the tournament will be held across June and July.

Who is hosting the next AFCON?

The 2027 AFCON will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. It will be the first time the tournament has ever been staged across three host nations.

The event will mark the competition's 70th anniversary, and it will be the last to be played in an odd-numbered year. From 2028 onwards, the AFCON will move to a quadrennial format, like the World Cup.

MORE: Why the AFCON is moving to a four-year cycle

AFCON 2027 host cities

There are 10 proposed host cities for the 2027 tournament: three each in Kenya and Uganda, and four in Tanzania.

Five of the proposed venues are under construction, including the Talanta Sports Stadium in Kenya's capital, Nairobi.

List of AFCON 2027 host cities

*Final host cities and venues are yet to be confirmed.

Who is hosting the 2028 AFCON?

The hosts of the 2028 tournament have not yet been chosen. As of January 2026, the two confirmed bids for hosting rights were from Ethiopia, and a joint proposal from Botswana and South Africa (with Namibia reportedly a potential third joint-host).

All-time list of AFCON host nations

The Africa Cup of Nations began in 1957 and has been played at least every two years since 1968.