Africa Cup of Nations to Shift to Four-Year Cycle, CAF Confirms

The Confederation of African Football has announced that the Africa Cup of Nations will no longer be staged every two years, with the tournament set to move to a four-year cycle after the 2028 edition.

The decision was made public by CAF President Patrice Motsepe during an executive committee meeting in Rabat, Morocco, on the eve of the 2025 tournament.

The shift, according to CAF, is aimed at reducing congestion in the international football calendar and better aligning the competition with the global scheduling framework.

Explaining the transition, Motsepe said attention remains on the upcoming tournaments in Morocco in 2025 and the co-hosted 2027 edition in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, before the new format fully takes effect.

“Our focus now is on this AFCON but in 2027 we will be going to Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, and the AFCON after that will be in 2028,” he said, outlining the timeline for the change.

He added that further reforms would follow, noting, “Then after the FIFA Club World Cup in 2029 we will have the first African Nations League… with more prize money, more resources, more competition. As part of this arrangement, the AFCON now will take place once every four years.”

The Africa Cup of Nations has been held every two years since its inception in 1957, making it one of the most frequently held continental tournaments in world football. The new structure brings it in line with major international competitions such as the UEFA European Championship and the FIFA World Cup, which are both played every four years.

To offset concerns about reduced fixtures and revenue under the revised schedule, CAF plans to launch an annual African Nations League from 2029. The competition is expected to provide regular competitive matches for national teams while generating steady financial returns for member associations.

Motsepe acknowledged CAF’s historical reliance on the Nations Cup for funding but expressed confidence in the new model.

“Historically, the Nations Cup was the prime resource for us, but now we will get financial resources every year,” he said. He described the overhaul as “an exciting new structure which will contribute to sustainable financial independence and ensure more synchronisation with the FIFA calendar.”

The idea of staging the Africa Cup of Nations every four years had previously been suggested by FIFA President Gianni Infantino but was resisted by CAF due to concerns over revenue loss.

The latest decision signals a significant policy shift as African football authorities seek to balance commercial sustainability with calendar harmony.