Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football, has confirmed that the African Nations Championship for locally based players has been cancelled as part of a wider overhaul of the continental calendar.
The decision is directly linked to the launch of a new African Nations League, which CAF views as the main platform for national team competition outside the traditional Africa Cup of Nations.
Speaking to the Moroccan newspaper Al Botola, Motsepe indicated that the creation of the Nations League leaves no room in the schedule for the CHAN tournament, which had been held every two years since its first edition in 2009 and offered valuable exposure to players active in domestic leagues across Africa.
Motsepe explained that the new African Nations League will kick off after the 2029 Club World Cup, with CAF’s 54 member associations divided into four geographical zones, whose teams will compete to determine a regional champion.
“The champions of the four regions will reach the final stage, which will be held in the form of a combined tournament during November. The host country for this stage will be announced later, while confirming that the tournament will be organized periodically every two years,” he said.
The report noted that this step is expected to stir wide debate in African football circles because of its impact on local competitions, the programming of continental tournaments and long‑term development plans for the game on the continent.
