The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially confirmed that the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will return to a two-year cycle, reversing its previous decision to organize the tournament every four years. CAF announced the decision on Thursday, October 29, following a unanimous vote by its Executive Committee. This move comes after CAF President Patrice Motsepe revealed earlier that the governing body would reconsider its decision to move AFCON to a four-year cycle.
The decision aims to protect the interests of African football, CAF's 54 member associations, and African players competing for clubs outside the continent. Motsepe raised concerns about the financial implications of replacing the current tournament format with a proposed African Nations League. The new competition was initially intended to take place every two years and eventually replace the existing AFCON format.
However, CAF acknowledged that the proposed tournament would require several years to generate the financial resources needed to support African football. Maintaining AFCON's biennial format would help protect the financial stability of African football while supporting the development of competitions across the continent. This decision will contribute to the long-term development and growth of African football.
CAF also confirmed the schedule for the next four editions of Africa's biggest international football tournament. The 2027 AFCON will take place in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, marking the first time the three East African countries will jointly host the competition. This will be followed by editions in 2028, 2031, and 2033.
The schedule also takes into account the 2030 FIFA World Cup, with CAF noting that continental national team competitions may not take place during a World Cup year, in line with FIFA's traditional calendar. Although CAF has restored the two-year cycle, the announced dates mean that some editions will be separated by three years.
Beyond the tournament calendar, CAF emphasized the financial importance of AFCON for the development of African football. The governing body believes that the proposed African Nations League would need considerable time to generate the revenue necessary to help African competitions become financially independent and competitive on the global stage.
CAF highlighted AFCON's cultural importance, describing the competition as a celebration of Africa's diversity, traditions, and football heritage. The tournament brings together supporters from across the continent, the African diaspora, and football fans worldwide. This announcement ends months of uncertainty surrounding the future of the competition's calendar and confirms CAF's commitment to maintaining AFCON as a regular event in African football.
Key points
- The decision to return AFCON to a two-year cycle aims to protect the financial stability of African football.
- The 2027 AFCON will be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
- The schedule takes into account the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
