Former Cameroon, Senegal, Ghana and DR Congo head coach Claude Le Roy has urged African football authorities to retain the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as a biennial tournament, arguing that its benefits extend far beyond the sport.
Le Roy revealed that he had spoken directly to Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe to express his opposition to moving the competition to a four-year cycle.
The debate has resurfaced after CAF, having decided a few months ago to stage the tournament every four years, announced that it was considering returning to a two-year schedule.
The latest development has prompted questions about the governing body’s decision-making and the direction of its tournament planning.
Le Roy believes holding AFCON every two years is important not only for football but also for wider development across the continent.
“It absolutely has to remain every two years, because an AFCON every two years means training grounds, regional development, renovated hospitals… It means an enormous number of things for the African continent,” he said.
Le Roy makes case directly to CAF president
The French coach said he had personally raised the issue with Motsepe, making clear his position on the frequency of Africa’s flagship international football competition.
His intervention comes amid renewed uncertainty over the tournament’s future schedule, following CAF’s apparent reconsideration of its earlier decision to introduce a four-year cycle.
Le Roy’s argument centres on the wider impact of hosting the competition regularly. In his view, AFCON creates opportunities that go beyond matches and results, with potential benefits for sporting infrastructure and development projects in different parts of Africa.
His comments underline the significance he attaches to maintaining the tournament every two years, rather than extending the interval between editions.
CAF’s consideration of a return to the previous arrangement has also brought the governing body’s approach to the issue into focus. The change in direction raises questions about the consistency of its long-term planning and the reasons behind its evolving position.
Former coach highlights challenges facing Congolese football
Le Roy’s recent remarks about African football have also included concerns about conditions experienced by players in the Republic of Congo.
A report shared by Leopardsactu on 16 October 2026 described the difficulties the French coach encountered after returning to Brazzaville. According to the report, he found that the president of the country’s football federation was absent and that local players had endured extremely difficult circumstances for almost a decade.
The report suggested that these conditions had contributed to reluctance among several leading Brazzaville players to return to the national team.
Speaking to RMC Sport, Le Roy described the prolonged difficulties faced by the players.
“Les pauvres joueurs congolais ont vécu l’enfer pendant une dizaine d’années.”
The comments highlight the challenges that can affect national-team participation when players face persistent difficulties within their football environment.
Although the situation in Congo is separate from the debate over AFCON’s scheduling, both issues concern the conditions needed to support football development across the continent.
AFCON’s future remains under discussion
The dispute over the tournament’s frequency places CAF’s scheduling plans under renewed scrutiny. Its earlier decision to move to a four-year cycle has been followed by an announcement that a return to biennial competition is being considered.
Le Roy’s position is clear: AFCON should continue to take place every two years because, in his view, its importance reaches beyond the game itself.
His appeal to Motsepe reflects the wider debate over how the competition should be organised and the role it can play in supporting football and broader development in Africa.
With CAF reconsidering the schedule, the future frequency of AFCON remains a central issue for the continent’s football authorities.
