{
  "id": 17056496,
  "title": "AFCON set to return to two-year cycle as CAF reconsiders plans",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/afcon-set-to-return-to-two-year-cycle-as-caf-reconsiders-plans",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-29T11:27:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Adom Online",
    "slug": "adom-online",
    "url": "https://www.adomonline.com/afcon-set-to-return-to-two-year-cycle-as-caf-reconsiders-plans/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is expected to return to its traditional two-year cycle, according to the Confederation of African Football (CAF). This decision will be confirmed during the organization's Executive Committee meeting on Thursday. The change follows President Patrice Motsepe's announcement of a four-year cycle for the competition, beginning in 2028. This proposal has drawn criticism from players, coaches, and former footballers, who argue that the longer interval between tournaments would reduce the frequency of one of the continent's premier sporting events. AFCON, which traditionally takes place every two years, provides African national teams with regular opportunities to compete for continental titles and offers players a platform to showcase their talents. CAF recently sought the opinions of its member associations regarding the potential shift to a four-year cycle, with responses due by Wednesday, October 28. The proposed change has raised concerns about AFCON's position in the international football calendar and its impact on national teams, players, and domestic leagues. The tournament draws millions of viewers and generates significant commercial interest across Africa, and its schedule also affects clubs and domestic competitions, which often have to accommodate players' international duties. A return to the two-year format would maintain the tournament's established frequency, although CAF has not yet detailed the implementation of any revised schedule. Further discussions on the competition's future structure are expected at the CAF General Assembly on November 21 in Nigeria.",
  "summary": "The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is set to return to its traditional two-year cycle, with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) expected to confirm the decision at its Executive Committee meeting on Thursday. The development would mark a significant change in CAF’s plans after president Patrice Motsepe announced that the continent’s flagship international football […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}