CAF returns Africa Cup of Nations to a biennial cycle — Daily Maverick

The Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reversed the decision adopted in 2025 to move the Africa Cup of Nations to a four-year cycle. The continent’s main football tournament will continue to be held every two years, Daily Maverick reports.

Financial considerations

Under CAF’s previous plan, another edition was to take place in 2028 after the 2027 tournament. After that, the Africa Cup of Nations was planned to be held every four years, with the next tournament scheduled for 2032.

CAF also planned to launch the African Nations League in 2029. It was intended to be held every two years in years without the Africa Cup of Nations, with a final and trophy presentation. However, the confederation concluded that the new competition would need several years to secure substantial financial resources for the development of African football.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe said that the executive committee’s decision was based on the interests of African football, the confederation’s 54 member associations, and players who play for clubs outside Africa. According to him, the African Nations League would not immediately be able to make the financial and sporting contribution needed for the competitiveness and self-sufficiency of CAF tournaments.

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Schedule of upcoming tournaments

Motsepe confirmed that the next Africa Cup of Nations will take place in 2027 in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. It will be the first edition jointly hosted by three countries. The tournament is scheduled to run from June 19 to July 17.

The article notes that some reports raised doubts about the readiness of the host countries’ infrastructure, but CAF supported them and expressed confidence that the competition would take place on schedule.

The CAF president also named the following years in which the tournament will be held: 2028, 2031 and 2033. He explained the absence of an edition in 2030 by the staging of the FIFA World Cup: traditionally, FIFA does not hold the final stages of continental national team tournaments in a World Cup year.

In 2020, FIFA President Gianni Infantino called on African football to consider a four-year cycle, drawing attention in particular to the commercial performance of the Africa Cup of Nations. Motsepe had previously rejected claims that CAF makes decisions in the interests of European football.