Afcon to return to two-year cycle after Caf U-turn
The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has reversed its decision to move the Africa Cup of Nations to a four-year cycle.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Author: Franco237
The Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) will return to its traditional two-year cycle following a U-turn by the Confederation of African Football (Caf). The governing body had announced in December that the tournament would transition to a four-year cycle, but that decision has now been reversed following a formal review.
Caf had previously explored the idea of launching an African Nations League as a biennial replacement for Afcon. However, the organization acknowledged that the project would require several years to generate the revenue necessary for self-sufficiency.
Caf president Patrice Motsepe explained the rationale behind the move:
The decision by the Executive Committee to reinstate the organisation of the Afcon every two years aims to advance, protect and promote the interests of African football and the 54 Caf Member Associations, as well as those of African players playing for clubs outside the continent.
The biennial scheduling has historically impacted the football calendar, frequently overlapping with the European club season. Looking ahead, the 2027 tournament is set to be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, with further editions scheduled for 2028, 2031, and 2033. No tournament will take place in 2030 to avoid conflict with the World Cup.