CAF reverses four-year plan; Africa Cup of Nations to return to two-year cycle

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reversed its December decision to stage the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) every four years. The tournament will return to a two-year cycle.

The CAF Executive Committee approved the change unanimously. The reversal followed a review of the four-year plan. Under that plan, a proposed Africa Nations League would have become CAF's competition held every two years.

The next AFCON will be held in 2027. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will co-host it. Further editions are scheduled for 2028, 2031 and 2033. No tournament will be held in 2030, a FIFA World Cup year, because CAF does not stage AFCON in World Cup years.

CAF held a strategy conference in Cabo Verde in October 2026, before the announcement. CAF President Patrice Motsepe issued a statement on the decision.

What else is reported

According to AllAfrica, the conference ran from 7 to 9 October 2026, and Motsepe's statement was published on CAF's website on Thursday. AllAfrica also reported that the Nations League was meant to mirror the AFCON format and take place every two years.

According to Al Jazeera, Motsepe said at the conference that CAF was considering a return to the two-year cycle. Al Jazeera also reported that the December decision was not widely welcomed.

According to BBC Sport, holding AFCON every two years has long caused problems for the football calendar, and most recent tournaments took place midway through the European club season.

What each side says

Al Jazeera quoted a CAF statement as saying the Executive Committee "unanimously decided that the CAF Africa Cup of Nations will return to taking place every Two Years".

CAF says the Nations League would take several years to generate the revenue and development benefits needed to sustain African football.

Al Jazeera and BBC Sport quoted Motsepe as saying the decision "aims to advance, protect and promote the interests of African football and the 54 CAF Member Associations, as well as those of African players playing for clubs outside the continent". AllAfrica published different wording of this statement. The reports do not explain the difference.

According to AllAfrica, Motsepe said he was confident the three co-hosts can deliver a successful tournament in 2027. AllAfrica quoted him as saying AFCON is "also about celebrating African Football and Africa's rich and diverse cultures, customs and traditions".

What the reports do not include

The reports do not say whether the Nations League will be launched, postponed or dropped. They do not give the months of the 2027 tournament or name hosts for later editions. They do not include reactions from member associations, clubs, players, FIFA or the co-hosts.

Analysis

The reversal restores AFCON's traditional two-year schedule, which CAF says serves the interests of its 54 member associations and of African players at clubs outside the continent. CAF links the decision to the slower financial returns it expects from a new Nations League. A two-year cycle may again raise questions about release of players by clubs abroad, especially if tournaments fall during the European season. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not say when the 2027 edition will be played, so the impact on club calendars remains unclear. Reactions from clubs, players and FIFA, and decisions on the Nations League's future, could shape how the new schedule works in practice.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.