Africa Cup of Nations to Be Held Every Two Years Again: CAF Reverses Its Decision

A critical decision has been made on the future of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the most prestigious competition in African football. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially announced that the tournament will once again be held every two years. The move reverses last year's decision, which had called for the competition to be staged every four years. Following its assessments, the CAF Executive Committee reached a unanimous agreement to return to the previous calendar.

According to the confederation's official statement, the decision was taken following analyses of the tournament's economic sustainability and the development of African football. CAF President Patrice Motsepe had announced at a strategy conference held in Cape Verde on 7-9 October that the four-year calendar would be reconsidered. After the ensuing discussions, it was agreed that the competition would continue to be held every two years, as is tradition.

Why was the four-year plan abandoned?

One of the main reasons behind the decision was that the new African Nations League project, intended to take the place of the Africa Cup of Nations, does not yet have a sufficient economic foundation. CAF stated that it would take several years for that competition to mature to the point where it could deliver the targeted financial contribution to African football. President Patrice Motsepe stressed that the decision was made in the interests of African football, the confederation's 54 member federations and African players competing outside the continent, particularly in Europe.

Dates for future tournaments confirmed

According to the calendar shared by CAF, the next Africa Cup of Nations will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in 2027. The subsequent editions of the championship are set to be held in 2028, 2031 and 2033.