CAF reviews plan to stage Africa Cup of Nations every four years

CAF is reconsidering its decision to hold the Africa Cup of Nations once every four years, just 10 months after announcing the change.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe confirmed on Friday that the organisation is examining a return to the previous schedule, under which the tournament was played every two years. His comments came during a CAF meeting in Cape Verde and were reported by French outlet Foot Mercato.

“We are looking into bringing AFCON back to every two years. That’s under review,” Motsepe said.

The Guardian reports that CAF could put the proposal to a vote at a meeting of its executive committee in Cape Verde. If approved, the move would represent a significant reversal of the decision announced last December to move the competition to a four-year cycle from 2028.

The plan to reduce the frequency of the Africa Cup of Nations had attracted considerable criticism because of the tournament’s importance to African football, national teams and supporters.

Opponents argued that increasing the gap between editions could weaken the presence of African national sides on the international stage. They also warned that it could reduce income generated by the competition and remove a major continental event from supporters’ calendars every two years.

Motsepe’s latest statement does not represent a confirmed change to the competition’s schedule. It indicates that the issue remains under consideration, with a formal decision still to be made.

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations is scheduled to take place in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July next year. CAF does not currently intend to move or postpone that tournament, according to comments made by CAF media spokesperson Luxolo September to Kooora several days ago.

The 2027 edition is therefore still expected to go ahead on its announced dates while CAF assesses whether the tournament should return to a biennial format.

The proposal to stage the Africa Cup of Nations every four years was intended to reshape the competition’s place in the football calendar. However, the scale of the reaction and the concerns raised over its sporting and financial impact have led CAF to revisit the decision.

A vote by the executive committee would determine whether the organisation formally abandons the four-year model before it comes into effect in 2028. Until that process takes place, the existing plans remain in place, with Motsepe confirming only that the frequency of the tournament is under review.