AFCON to Switch to Four-Year Cycle as CAF Launches African Nations League

AFCON to Switch to Four-Year Cycle as CAF Launches African Nations League

The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will now be held every four years, starting with an edition planned for 2028, in a major shift from its traditional biennial schedule, Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe announced on Saturday.

Motsepe revealed the change as part of a broader restructuring of African football, aimed at aligning continental competitions with the global football calendar and reducing scheduling congestion.

While an AFCON every two years had been a key source of revenue for African national associations, Motsepe said the introduction of an annual African Nations League, modeled after the UEFA Nations League, would provide increased prize money, resources, and competitive opportunities for teams across the continent.

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“Our focus now is on AFCON, but in 2027 we will be going to Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda, and the AFCON after that will be in 2028,” Motsepe told reporters in Rabat on the eve of this year’s Morocco-hosted Cup of Nations.

He added, “After the FIFA Club World Cup in 2029, we will have the first African Nations League, with more competition, resources, and prize money. As part of this arrangement, AFCON will now take place once every four years.”

Since its inception in 1957, the Africa Cup of Nations has traditionally been held every two years, but over the last decade and a half, fitting it into an already crowded international football calendar has been challenging.

This year’s AFCON in Morocco marks the eighth edition since the 2012 tournaments held in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, signaling a new era for African football competitions.

AFCON to Switch to Four-Year Cycle as CAF Launches African Nations League