Africa's flagship tournament keeps its biennial rhythm as CAF scraps the four-year plan after a unanimous Executive Committee vote.
The Africa Cup of Nations is staying on the calendar every two years. CAF has reversed its plan to move the continent's flagship tournament to a four-year cycle, a landmark call for African football and the fans who live for AFCON.
The CAF Executive Committee backed the decision unanimously, restoring the schedule the competition has long been known for. President Patrice Motsepe said the change came after a fresh look at the proposed Africa Nations League, which was meant to take over as the continent's main biennial event.
The problem was money. Motsepe explained that the new competition would need several years to generate the financial resources required to support African football and make CAF's tournaments globally competitive and sustainable. In his words, keeping AFCON every two years serves the interests of the game and CAF's 54 member associations. The situation of African players starring for clubs outside the continent was also part of the thinking.
The next edition kicks off in 2027, co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Further tournaments are pencilled in for 2028, 2031 and 2033, so fans will not be waiting long between editions.
