By Maria Mariam Namala
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reversed plans to stage the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) every four years, restoring the tournament’s traditional biennial format.
The decision was unanimously approved by CAF’s Executive Committee on Thursday, October 29, following deliberations on the future structure and financial sustainability of African football competitions.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe had previously signalled a review of the proposed four-year cycle, which was part of broader efforts to align African football with changes to the international competition calendar.
Speaking at CAF’s Strategic Conference in Cape Verde between October 7 and 9, Motsepe highlighted concerns about the financial consequences of replacing the existing AFCON format with a proposed African Nations League.
The Nations League had initially been conceived as a competition to be held every two years, with the longer-term ambition of replacing the current AFCON structure. However, CAF indicated that the new tournament would require several years to generate sufficient revenue to sustain football development programmes across Africa.
In explaining the latest decision, CAF said maintaining AFCON’s two-year format would help protect the competition’s commercial value and ensure continued financial support for its 54 member associations.
Motsepe said the move was intended to safeguard the interests of African football, its national associations and players who compete for clubs outside the continent, while ensuring CAF competitions remain financially viable.
The continental governing body also confirmed the schedule for the next four editions of AFCON, beginning with the 2027 tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
The 2027 edition will be historic as it marks the first time the three East African neighbours will jointly stage Africa’s premier men’s national football competition. Motsepe expressed confidence in the countries’ preparations and their ability to deliver the tournament.
The subsequent editions are scheduled for 2028, 2031 and 2033.
The revised calendar also considers the 2030 FIFA World Cup, with CAF seeking to avoid scheduling major continental national team competitions during the global tournament year.
Despite restoring the biennial AFCON format, the announced programme means the intervals between some editions will vary, reflecting adjustments to the international football calendar and CAF’s plans for the future of the competition.