The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is considering reversing its decision to stage the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) every four years, with president Patrice Motsepe confirming that a return to the traditional biennial format is under review.
Motsepe made the revelation during the CAF Strategy Conference in Cape Verde, where African football administrators are discussing the future direction of the game on the continent.
“We are looking into bringing AFCON back to every two years. That’s under review,” Motsepe said.
The CAF Executive Committee is expected to discuss the possibility of overturning the decision, which was announced in December 2025, less than a year after the governing body confirmed a major overhaul of its international competition calendar.
A return to the previous schedule would mark a significant change of direction for African football, with the future frequency of the continent’s flagship national-team competition once again in question.
Why CAF changed the AFCON calendar
In December 2025, Motsepe announced that AFCON would move from a two-year cycle to a four-year schedule after the 2028 edition.
The decision was presented as part of wider efforts to align African football with the international calendar and improve the organisation of competitions.
CAF also announced plans to introduce an annual African Nations League from 2029 to provide more regular competition for national teams and help offset the financial impact of holding AFCON less frequently.
The traditional two-year format has been in place since the tournament’s inception in 1957 and has made AFCON a regular fixture on the international football calendar.
However, the competition has frequently faced scheduling challenges, particularly when it coincides with the European club season and requires clubs to release African players for international duty.
The move to a four-year cycle was intended to address some of those challenges, although it also raised concerns about the financial implications and the opportunities available to African national teams.
Controversy surrounding the decision
The original decision attracted criticism from some African football federation presidents, who questioned whether member associations had been adequately consulted before the change was announced.
Some officials also expressed concerns that staging AFCON every four years could reduce a major source of revenue for CAF and limit opportunities for domestic players to compete at the highest level of African international football.
AFCON is one of the confederation’s most important commercial properties, generating significant income from broadcasting, sponsorship and tournament-related activities.
A return to the biennial schedule could therefore have implications beyond the competition itself, potentially requiring CAF to reconsider aspects of its financial planning and international match calendar.
What happens next?
The proposed reversal is expected to be discussed by CAF’s Executive Committee, with a decision potentially determining whether the four-year format remains in place or is replaced by the traditional two-year cycle.
For now, a return to biennial AFCON has not been formally confirmed, and Motsepe’s comments indicate that the matter remains under consideration.
The 2027 edition is scheduled to be hosted jointly by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, while CAF had previously planned another tournament in 2028 before moving to a four-year cycle.
Whether the governing body ultimately abandons its calendar reform will depend on the outcome of its deliberations.
For African football supporters, the debate represents another significant moment in the ongoing discussion about how best to balance the commercial interests of the game, the international calendar and the development of national teams across the continent.
