The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is preparing for an action-packed 2026/27 season, with the continental calendar featuring the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, inter-club competitions, youth tournaments, futsal, beach soccer and other national team events. The biggest attraction will be the 2027 AFCON, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027, NigeriaSoccernet.com reports.
The season will also feature another edition of the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup, with both competitions entering their preliminary stages before progressing into the group phase.
The second preliminary round is scheduled for October, while the group stages are expected to commence in late November and continue into January 2027. The knockout rounds will follow from February, with the finals of the two inter-club competitions scheduled between May 9 and 31, 2027.
The winners of the Champions League will subsequently face the Confederation Cup champions in the CAF Super Cup.
2026 CAF Super Cup
The 2026 CAF Super Cup will bring together Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, winners of the 2025/26 Champions League, and USM Alger of Algeria, who claimed the Confederation Cup title.
The encounter will pit the winners of CAF's two premier club competitions against each other for continental supremacy.
Youth Competitions Remain a Priority
Youth development will also feature prominently in CAF's programme, with Ghana scheduled to host the 2027 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.
The tournament will involve 12 teams, with the top four securing qualification for the FIFA U-20 World Cup. Ghana, a four-time winner of the competition, will host the tournament for the second time after previously staging the event in 1999.
CAF is also continuing to reshape its U-17 competition structure. Morocco hosted the 2026 U-17 AFCON under a festival-style format, with matches, training sessions and team operations centred around the Mohammed VI Football Complex.
The model is aimed at creating a stronger development environment while improving the overall experience for participating teams and young players.
The 2026/27 calendar will also feature the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, which doubles as Africa's qualifying competition for the Olympic Games.
Futsal and Beach Soccer on the Calendar
CAF's programme extends beyond traditional football, with futsal and beach soccer also featuring prominently.
Morocco is expected to host the Futsal Africa Cup of Nations, while Senegal has been listed as the host of the Beach Soccer AFCON.
CAF's published calendar places the futsal tournament in October and the beach soccer championship in November, although some dates remain subject to final confirmation.
CAF Considering More Competitions
Beyond the established tournaments, CAF is also looking at expanding its competition portfolio.
Among the proposals under consideration are the introduction of a U-17 Women's Africa Cup of Nations and an African Nations League.
If approved, the competitions could create additional opportunities for national teams and young players while strengthening the pathway between grassroots football, youth competitions and the senior game.
The proposals also form part of CAF's broader efforts to create a more predictable, commercially viable and organised competition structure across the continent.
Managing an Increasingly Busy Calendar
The size of the 2026/27 programme highlights the continued expansion of African football. The Champions League, Confederation Cup and AFCON will be accompanied by youth tournaments, futsal, beach soccer and other continental competitions.
A more structured calendar could help clubs plan their domestic campaigns, allow national teams to prepare more effectively and provide broadcasters and commercial partners with greater certainty.
However, the growing number of competitions could also create challenges, particularly around player workload and potential clashes between domestic, continental and international commitments.
For now, CAF is heading towards one of its busiest competition cycles, with the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda set to provide the grand finale to an increasingly crowded continental football calendar.