Patrice Motsepe says the Confederation of African Football (CAF) is considering a return to staging the Africa Cup of Nations every two years, less than a year after the organisation approved a move to a four-year cycle.
Speaking at CAF’s general assembly in Cape Verde on Friday, CAF president Motsepe said the issue had been discussed in recent days and that all options remained open.
“We discussed the matter in the past few days, and we are considering all options, including bringing back the Africa Cup of Nations every two years,” Motsepe said, prompting applause from those attending.
CAF announced in December 2025 that the tournament would be held every four years from 2028, rather than every two years. The change was intended to bring the competition into line with the international football calendar.
However, the decision met strong opposition, prompting Motsepe and CAF to reconsider the planned format.
The issue also carries significant financial implications. The Guardian reported in August that CAF had been forced to give up $1bn as a result of moving from a biennial Africa Cup of Nations to a four-year schedule.
The debate comes as the reputation of the competition has also been affected by the controversies surrounding the final of the most recent edition between Morocco and Senegal, according to French broadcaster RMC.
CAF has yet to announce whether the tournament will return to its previous two-year schedule. For now, the next Africa Cup of Nations is due to take place from 19 June to 18 July 2027 in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
The host country or countries for the 2028 edition have not yet been decided. That tournament had been scheduled to take place before CAF’s planned move to a four-year cycle.
