CAF confirms AFCON will hold every two years again
by Moronfolu Adeyemi · The Eagle OnlineThe Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reversed its plan to stage the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) every four years, confirming that the continental tournament will return to its traditional two-year cycle.
The CAF Executive Committee (EXCO) unanimously approved the decision, with President Patrice Motsepe announcing the development after the organisation’s Strategy Conference held in Cabo Verde from October 7 to 9, 2026.
The reversal follows a review of CAF’s earlier proposal to move AFCON to a four-year schedule and introduce an Africa Nations League as a biennial competition.
CAF explained that the proposed Nations League would take several years to generate the financial resources required to support football development across the continent and make its competitions globally competitive and financially sustainable.
In a statement published on CAF’s website on Friday, Motsepe said the decision was taken to protect the interests of African football, its 54 member associations and African players employed by clubs outside the continent.
“The decision by the CAF EXCO that the CAF AFCON should take place every Two Years was based on advancing, protecting and promoting the interest of African Football and CAF’s 54 Member Associations, as well as the interest of African players employed by Football Clubs outside Africa,” Motsepe said.
He said the organisation was also concerned about the time required for the proposed Africa Nations League to deliver the expected financial and developmental benefits.
“We were also concerned by the several years required before the proposed new Africa Nations League Pan-African competition, (which was supposed to be identical to the current AFCON and take place Every Two Years), could make the substantial financial and football development contributions for African Football and CAF competitions to be globally competitive and self-supporting,” he said.
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Under the revised calendar, the next TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations will take place in 2027, with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda jointly hosting the competition.
The subsequent editions are scheduled for 2028, 2031 and 2033, with CAF maintaining that the tournament will not be held in the same year as the FIFA World Cup.
Motsepe expressed confidence in the three East African countries’ ability to deliver a successful 2027 tournament.
“The next TotalEnergies CAF AFCON will take place in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and I am confident that it will be very successful,” he said.
He explained that the revised schedule also considers the 2030 FIFA World Cup, noting that continental national team competitions traditionally avoid holding their final tournaments during a World Cup year.
Beyond the competition’s sporting and financial significance, the CAF president described AFCON as an important platform for celebrating African cultures and bringing people together across the continent and the diaspora.
“The AFCON competition is also about celebrating African Football and Africa’s rich and diverse cultures, customs and traditions and bringing people together from Africa’s 54 Countries, the African Diaspora and throughout the world,” Motsepe stated.
He added that restoring the biennial format would strengthen the continent’s football structures and support the development of the game across CAF’s member associations.
“The CAF EXCO decision is in the best interest of African Football and CAF’s 54 Member Associations and will also contribute significantly to the development and growth of football in Africa,” he added.
The decision marks a major revision of CAF’s competition calendar, retaining AFCON as the continent’s flagship national team tournament while changing the organisation’s earlier plans for the proposed Africa Nations League.
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