CAF restores AFCON to its traditional two-year cycle

The decision was unanimously approved by CAF’s Executive Committee on Thursday, October 29, 2026, marking a significant reversal of the governing body’s previous plan to change the competition’s format after the 2028 edition.

Under the revised calendar, the next AFCON will take place in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, followed by another edition in 2028.

The subsequent tournaments are scheduled for 2031 and 2033, with no competition planned for 2030 because of the FIFA World Cup.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe said the decision was taken to protect the interests of African football, its 54 member associations and African players representing clubs outside the continent.

He explained that the proposed Africa Nations League, which was expected to replace the biennial AFCON, would need several years before generating sufficient financial resources to support the development of African football and make CAF competitions globally competitive.

“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”, Motsepe said.

The announcement follows months of uncertainty surrounding the future structure of Africa’s biggest international football competition.

In December 2025, CAF announced that AFCON would move from its traditional two-year cycle to a four-year schedule after the 2028 edition.

The organisation also introduced plans for an Africa Nations League, which was expected to provide a major continental national-team competition every two years from 2029.

However, the proposal attracted criticism from different sections of African football, with concerns surrounding the tournament’s reduced frequency, its commercial importance and opportunities for national teams to compete for continental honours.

Motsepe initially defended the proposed changes, dismissing suggestions that the decision had been imposed on CAF by FIFA.

However, during the CAF Strategy Conference held in Cabo Verde from October 7 to 9, 2026, he confirmed that the Executive Committee would reconsider the four-year arrangement.

According to Reuters, the reversal means AFCON will retain its traditional biennial structure, which has historically been an important source of revenue for the continental governing body.

Meanwhile, attention now turns to the 2027 edition, which will make history as the first AFCON tournament to be jointly hosted by three countries.

Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will stage the competition from June 19 to July 17, 2027, marking AFCON’s return to East Africa for the first time since Ethiopia hosted the tournament in 1976.

The 2027 edition is expected to feature 24 national teams competing for the continental title, with the three host nations already assured of qualification.