RismadarVoice Reporters
October 30, 2026
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reversed its earlier decision to stage the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) every four years, announcing a return to the competition’s traditional two-year cycle.
The decision was unanimously approved by CAF’s Executive Committee on Thursday, October 29, following a review of the restructuring plan announced in December 2025.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe said the reversal was intended to protect the interests of African football, the organisation’s 54 member associations and African players competing for clubs outside the continent.
Under the previous arrangement, AFCON was expected to move to a four-year cycle after the 2028 edition, while a proposed Africa Nations League would become the continent’s major biennial national-team competition.
However, CAF acknowledged that the planned Nations League would require several years to generate the financial resources necessary to support its competitions and strengthen African football.
Motsepe had indicated during CAF’s Strategy Conference in Cape Verde, held from October 7 to 9, that the Executive Committee would reconsider the proposed change.
Following the review, the committee unanimously approved the restoration of the two-year AFCON policy.
CAF also confirmed that Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will jointly host the 2027 tournament, bringing the competition to three East African countries.
Subsequent editions are scheduled for 2028, 2031 and 2033.
Despite the decision to restore a biennial format, the announced dates do not follow a consistent two-year interval, with a one-year gap between 2027 and 2028 and a three-year gap before 2031.
CAF has not provided a detailed explanation of how those transitional dates will align with its long-term scheduling policy.
Motsepe explained that the 2030 FIFA World Cup influenced the revised calendar, noting that CAF intends to avoid staging its flagship national-team tournament during a World Cup year.
The CAF president also emphasised AFCON’s importance beyond football, describing the competition as a platform for celebrating Africa’s cultural diversity and strengthening connections among communities across the continent and the diaspora.
The reversal represents a significant adjustment to CAF’s competition strategy, particularly its plans for the proposed Africa Nations League.
It also preserves AFCON’s central role in African international football while allowing the governing body more time to assess the financial sustainability of its proposed competitions.
Attention will now turn to preparations for the 2027 tournament and further clarification of the competition calendar beyond 2028.
