CAF restores AFCON to two-year cycle, scraps four-year plan

The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has returned to a two-year cycle after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Executive Committee unanimously decided to abandon its four-year plan. This change, announced on Thursday, October 29, brings the tournament back to its traditional format after months of uncertainty. In December 2025, CAF had previously decided to move AFCON to a four-year cycle following the 2027 edition.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe explained that the decision was made to ensure the financial stability of African football and its competitions, as well as to protect the interests of African players employed by clubs outside the continent. Motsepe stated that the AFCON would now take place every two years, starting with the next edition in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Subsequent tournaments are scheduled for 2028, 2031, and 2033, with the 2030 FIFA World Cup taken into account. This decision reverses a major change to the African football calendar that had previously drawn criticism and concerns about the tournament's commercial value, visibility, and importance to member associations.