CAF president reveals new AFCON proposal that defies Infantino

Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe has revealed that the governing body is considering restoring the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to its traditional two-year cycle, reopening a debate over a reform announced less than a year ago.

“We have discussed it over the last few days to say we are looking at everything, including having the AFCON coming back every two years,” Motsepe said at the CAF Strategy Conference in Santa Maria, Cape Verde, on Friday, October 9.

The comments signal a possible rethink of the decision to move the continent’s flagship men’s tournament to a four-year cycle from 2028. 

Motsepe did not announce a reversal or give a timetable for a final decision, meaning the biennial format remains under consideration rather than confirmed.

The announcement came a day after CAF’s 54 member associations reaffirmed their unanimous and unconditional support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s bid for re-election in March 2027.

The timing places Motsepe’s remarks against the backdrop of renewed scrutiny of CAF’s relationship with FIFA, although he did not say the two developments were connected.

Infantino first publicly proposed moving AFCON to a four-year cycle in February 2020. Motsepe, who became CAF president in March 2021, initially rejected the idea, insisting that the tournament should continue every two years.

That position changed on December 20, 2025, when Motsepe announced that AFCON would move to a four-year cycle after the 2027 and 2028 editions. 

CAF also unveiled plans for an annual African Nations League from 2029, presenting the new competition as a way to provide more regular international football.

AFCON has traditionally been held every two years since 1968, apart from scheduling exceptions, including editions in 2012 and 2013.

Its regularity has provided national teams with a recurring continental championship and generated tournament revenue for CAF and host countries.

The four-year plan drew criticism from those who believed the change prioritised the international calendar and European clubs over African football’s needs. 

Clubs in Europe regularly lose African internationals during the European season when players are released for AFCON, creating pressure over availability and scheduling.

FIFA had advocated a four-year cycle years before CAF adopted it, fuelling speculation that the reform reflected pressure from the global governing body and European football interests. 

Mali coach Tom Saintfiet was among the critics. In December 2025, he described the decision as deeply disappointing and argued that it served FIFA and European clubs rather than African football. 

Motsepe, meanwhile, defended the change as a compromise needed to make the global football calendar more synchronised.

The debate also concerns the financial role of AFCON. The tournament is a major source of income and international exposure for African football, while frequent editions give players from domestic leagues more opportunities to showcase themselves to scouts and overseas clubs.

BBC Sport Africa reported in January 2026 that CAF had forecast $114 million in profit from AFCON 2025, compared with $75 million for the 2023 edition in Ivory Coast and less than $5 million for the 2021 tournament in Cameroon. 

Critics of the four-year cycle argue that fewer editions could reduce regular opportunities for revenue generation and player exposure, particularly while many African domestic leagues and clubs struggle to match the financial resources available in Europe. 

Supporters of the new structure have argued that the African Nations League could offer more frequent competition, although its ability to replace AFCON’s commercial and sporting value remains untested.

The next AFCON is scheduled for June 19 to July 17, 2027, with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda serving as co-hosts. A 2028 edition was included in the four-year-cycle plan announced by Motsepe in December 2025.

His latest comments leave the future format open again. CAF is now considering whether the continent’s most important national-team tournament should return to a two-year rhythm, but any change will depend on a formal decision from the governing body.