AFCON Qualification 2027: CAF no longer complies with its own rules
After changing the rules in full competition during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers regarding the ranking of the best second-placed teams, CAF continues to make decisions as it sees fit with the addition of a preliminary round to the qualifications for the 2027 Africa Cup announced only the day before the draw.
Philemon MBALE · Author profile ·
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After the referee designations and rules changed without following the usual procedures, the CAF continues to innovate since it has finally decided to keep the classic qualification format with an initial preliminary round for the last twelve African nations in the FIFA ranking.
Problem, this choice has not been subject to a vote or particular approval by the Executive Committee or the General Assembly. Even worse, several members of the Executive Committee learned the news through an article on the CAF website on the eve of the draw!
What is the purpose of the Executive Committee?
If some leaders were in confidence, others completely ignored this change since CAF had initially decided to eliminate the preliminary round to directly launch a group phase.
After having already postponed the draw scheduled at the base on 19 December, CAF thus backpedaled without warning the federations in question, some of which had taken steps to play friendly matches during the March window.
A rather incredible misunderstanding questioning the decision-making within the body and also the real usefulness of the Executive Committee, several members of which did not even know how the qualifications for the next African Cup of Nations would unfold...