No more 2 years - CAF unveils new plan for AFCON

Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe has confirmed new plans for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The biennial competition will shift from its long-standing format to a quadrennial schedule beginning after the 2028 tournament.

Motsepe said the change is part of a broader restructuring aimed at better aligning African football with the global calendar. Under the new plan, AFCON will be staged every four years, bringing it into line with other major international tournaments such as the UEFA European Championship.

He said, “We have the most exciting new structure for African football. The global calendar has to be significantly more synchronised and harmonised.”

Since 1968, AFCON has been held every two years, with the only exception being a one-off adjustment between the 2012 and 2013 editions.

The new cycle will follow the 2027 finals in East Africa and a further tournament in 2028, after which the four-year rhythm will take effect.

In place of the biennial AFCON, CAF plans to introduce an annual African Nations League starting in 2029, a competition designed to provide regular high-level international matches while easing pressure on the congested calendar.