Caf considers returning Africa Cup of Nations to two-year cycle

Caf president Patrice Motsepe says the organisation is reviewing its decision to stage the Africa Cup of Nations every four years, raising the prospect of a return to the tournament’s traditional two-year schedule.

Motsepe made the comments at a Caf strategy conference in Cape Verde on Friday, acknowledging that the move to a four-year cycle had been unpopular in several quarters.

“We have discussed things over the past few days and are looking at everything, including having the Afcon come back every two years,” he said.

The Confederation of African Football announced in December that Africa Cup of Nations finals would be held in 2027 and 2028. The next tournament after those editions was scheduled for 2032, with a four-year gap between subsequent competitions.

That timetable was intended to make room for a new annual Nations League format, which Motsepe said in December would generate more revenue.

The African continental championship was first held in 1957 and has generally been played every two years. The decision to extend the interval between tournaments was therefore a significant change to the competition’s established calendar.

Caf is now considering whether that arrangement should be reversed. No final decision on the frequency of the Africa Cup of Nations was announced at the conference.