Morocco is reportedly in line to host the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) reached an agreement with FIFA over the scheduling of future Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
A private source told WinWin that the agreement between the two governing bodies would allow Morocco to stage the expanded club competition in 2029, ahead of its co-hosting of the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal.
The development is linked to CAF’s decision to abandon plans to organise the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) every four years and return to its traditional two-year cycle. Under the revised arrangement, the next editions of the continental tournament are scheduled for 2027, 2028, 2031 and 2033.
The agreement with FIFA reportedly covers more than the decision to retain the 2028 AFCON. It also creates an opportunity for Morocco to host the Club World Cup in 2029, according to the source.
CAF-FIFA agreement creates opportunity for Morocco
An official source within the African football governing body told WinWin that discussions with FIFA addressed the scheduling conflict surrounding the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations.
The tournament had initially been expected to take place in 2030, the same year as the FIFA World Cup. However, major continental national-team competitions are traditionally not scheduled during a World Cup year, making the proposed arrangement difficult to maintain.
Following the agreement, CAF considered retaining the 2028 edition while avoiding another AFCON tournament in 2029, just two years after the 2027 competition.
This arrangement would leave Morocco with the opportunity to organise the 2029 Club World Cup before joining Spain and Portugal in hosting the following year’s World Cup.
The decision also means that the Africa Cup of Nations will take place in 2027 and 2028 before returning to a regular two-year schedule with the 2031 and 2033 editions.
However, important details concerning the 2028 tournament remain unresolved.
Sources within CAF told WinWin that the host country for the qualifying campaign has not yet been determined. The dates for the qualifying matches and the final tournament are also yet to be confirmed.
There are two possible periods being considered for the 2028 finals: January and February or June and July.
The uncertainty is partly due to the short interval between the 2027 and 2028 competitions. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are scheduled to jointly host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations in June and July, meaning the gap between the two tournaments could be as short as six months or, at most, one year.
CAF reverses four-year AFCON plan
CAF recently confirmed that its executive committee had unanimously agreed to reverse the decision to stage the Africa Cup of Nations every four years, restoring the previous arrangement of holding the competition every two years.
The change followed pressure from several member associations, with WinWin previously reporting that the continental governing body had received letters from a majority of its members calling for the abandonment of the four-year proposal.
CAF president Patrice Motsepe explained that the decision to reconsider the tournament’s schedule was influenced by several factors, particularly the financial and organisational challenges surrounding the proposed African Nations League.
The competition had been intended to replace the Africa Cup of Nations as a major continental tournament held every two years. However, Motsepe acknowledged that the project would require several years before it could generate the financial resources needed to support African football and make its competitions globally competitive.
Explaining the importance of the AFCON, Motsepe said: “The Africa Cup of Nations is not just about football, but a celebration of the rich and diverse African cultures, customs and traditions, and a means of bringing together people from the 54 African countries, African communities abroad, and from all over the world.”
He also defended the executive committee’s decision, stressing that maintaining the biennial tournament would benefit African football and its member associations.
“The decision of the CAF Executive Committee is in the best interest of African football and the 54 member associations, and will contribute significantly to the development and growth of football on the African continent.”
The reported agreement with FIFA could therefore represent an important development for Morocco, which is expected to play a major role in hosting international football competitions in the coming years.
However, details of the reported 2029 Club World Cup arrangement, including its official confirmation, have yet to be announced in the information provided by the source.
