CAF reverses four-year plan, restores AFCON to two-year cycle starting 2027

CAF’s Executive Committee has unanimously decided to restore the Africa Cup of Nations to its traditional two-year cycle, reversing the four-year format proposed the previous year. The decision was announced on Thursday following a reassessment of changes to the continent’s football calendar.

The reversal follows concerns about the proposed Africa Nations League, which was initially expected to replace AFCON and serve as a major pan-African competition every two years. CAF said the new competition would require several years before generating sufficient financial resources to support African football development.

“The decision by the CAF EXCO that the CAF AFCON should take place every Two Years was based on advancing, protecting and promoting the interest of African Football and CAF’s 54 Member Associations, as well as the interest of African players employed by Football Clubs outside Africa.”

CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe explained that the committee’s priority was to advance, protect and promote the interests of African football, CAF’s 54 member associations and African players employed by clubs outside the continent.

Motsepe also confirmed that the next TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations will take place in 2027, jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Subsequent editions are scheduled for 2028 and 2030.

The biennial format returns after the CAF Strategy Conference in Cabo Verde from October 7 to 9, 2026, where Motsepe had announced that the executive committee would reconsider its earlier decision to move AFCON to a four-year cycle.