CAF says no schedule has been approved for African Nations League

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has dismissed reports circulating on social media claiming to reveal the fixture schedule for the proposed African Nations League, insisting that no official timetable has been approved for the competition.

In recent days, a document widely shared online claimed to outline the tournament’s fixtures, including a high-profile opening match between Morocco and Algeria.

CAF has, however, rejected those claims, stating that the competition remains in the planning phase and that no official schedule has been released.

The governing body’s clarification comes after the document gained significant attention across social media platforms, leading to speculation over the format and timing of the new tournament.

According to information reported by Fennecfootball, CAF has not yet finalised several key aspects of the competition, including the number of matches that will be played in each geographical zone.

The report also states that the allocation of regional qualifying places has not yet been determined.

An official CAF source cited by the publication added that the organisation is still considering different options for the competition’s structure.

Those discussions reportedly include the possibility of combining geographical zones, depending on the number of participating national associations in each region.

As a result, any fixture list currently circulating cannot be regarded as official.

The only confirmed decisions regarding the African Nations League date back to the CAF Executive Committee meeting held on 20 December.

During that meeting, CAF approved plans to replace the African Nations Championship (CHAN), which is reserved for players competing in domestic leagues, with a new annual competition inspired by the UEFA Nations League.

According to the approved framework, the African Nations League is expected to begin in 2029.

Qualifying matches are scheduled to take place during the FIFA international windows in September and October, while the final tournament is planned for November in a host nation yet to be determined.

The development of the competition is also linked to broader changes in the African football calendar.

CAF has already confirmed that the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will return to a four-year cycle beginning with the 2028 edition.

Before then, the 2027 AFCON remains scheduled to be hosted jointly by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Another decision announced during the December Executive Committee meeting concerned Mauritania’s regional affiliation.

The country will move from the West Africa A zone to the North Africa zone, where it will compete alongside Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

However, CAF has not yet confirmed how qualification for the future African Nations League will operate within that regional grouping.

With several important details still under discussion, CAF has urged caution over unofficial information circulating online, making it clear that the competition’s format and fixture schedule have yet to be finalised.