Afcon to return to two-year cycle after Caf U-turn

What the report says

The Confederation of African Football has reversed its plan to move the Africa Cup of Nations to a four-year cycle, restoring the tournament to a biennial schedule. BBC Sport reports that the decision follows a review of Caf’s December announcement, which had proposed replacing Afcon with a new African Nations League over time.

Caf said the return to a two-year cycle is intended to support African football and its 54 member associations, along with African players based outside the continent. Caf president Patrice Motsepe said the governing body also considered the need to protect the competition’s wider interests. The move comes after Caf acknowledged that a replacement tournament would need several years to generate enough revenue to stand on its own.

The change keeps Afcon aligned with its long-running format, though it continues to create fixture challenges because the tournament is often staged during the European club season. BBC Sport also notes that FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup added further scheduling pressure this year. The next Afcon is set for 2027, with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda as joint hosts, and further editions planned for 2028, 2031 and 2033. There will be no tournament in 2030 because of the World Cup.