Arabic version: كاف يعيد كأس أمم أفريقيا إلى نظام السنتين بعد التراجع عن خطة الأربع سنوات
According to BBC News, the Confederation of African Football has abandoned plans to stage the Africa Cup of Nations every four years and will retain the competition’s traditional two-year cycle. Caf president Patrice Motsepe said the reversal was intended to advance, protect and promote the interests of African football.
Motsepe announced before the 2025 finals in Morocco that Afcon would move to a four-year schedule from 2028, partly to make the global calendar more synchronised. The proposal drew concern from federations, with Football Association of Zambia official Sydney Mungala saying the biennial cycle had served the continent well. Afcon has largely been held every two years since its first edition in 1957.
The decision to change the format was made by Caf’s executive committee last December without being tabled at a general assembly of member nations. Caf later asked its 54 associations whether they preferred the four-year plan or the existing schedule, before the executive committee voted to restore the status quo. Algerian journalist Maher Mezahi said Afcon is the competition through which Caf funds its other events.
The tournament is a major source of income for the continental body. Afcon 2025 was forecast to make a profit of $114m (£85m), while Morocco 2025 was projected to generate $192m (£143m), or 66% of Caf’s total competition revenue across men’s, women’s and age-group football. Caf had proposed an annual Africa Nations League involving all 54 countries, but Motsepe said it could take several years before the competition made substantial financial and development contributions.
The 2027 Afcon is scheduled for Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July next year. The following finals are set for 2028, although Caf has not announced the host or exact dates. Tournaments are then planned for 2031 and 2033 to avoid World Cup clashes, while the proposed Africa Nations League is due to begin in September 2029.
