The Confederation of African Football has officially backed away from one of its most debated decisions in recent years. The Africa Cup of Nations will once again be played every two years, ending a short-lived plan to stretch the continent’s flagship tournament to a four-year cycle.
CAF’s Executive Committee made the call unanimously on Thursday, 29 October 2026. The vote closes the chapter on the controversial proposal unveiled in December 2025, which would have shifted AFCON to a quadrennial calendar.
CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe confirmed the outcome in an official statement. He said the move was made with the best interests of African football in mind, including the confederation’s 54 member associations and the African players who represent clubs outside the continent.
The reversal did not come out of nowhere. Earlier in October, at CAF’s Strategy Conference in Cabo Verde, Motsepe had already signalled that the organisation was rethinking its earlier position.
What Prompted the U-Turn?
At the heart of the change is the Africa Nations League, the competition CAF had planned to introduce as a regular national-team tournament once AFCON moved to a four-year rhythm. Concerns grew over whether that new event could deliver on its promise.
CAF acknowledged that the Nations League would need several years before it could generate the kind of substantial revenue required to fund African football, make its competitions globally competitive and keep them financially sustainable.
According to Motsepe, the Executive Committee concluded that it made little sense to wait years for an unproven alternative to mature. Restoring AFCON to its familiar format was seen as the more sensible course.
Under the revised arrangement, CAF has set out the following calendar:
- 2027: Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda
- 2028: The next edition following the 2027 tournament
- 2030: No AFCON, because of the FIFA World Cup
- 2031: A scheduled edition
- 2033: A scheduled edition
The 2027 tournament will be a landmark one, jointly staged by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. It is a historic first for the competition, with three host nations sharing the spotlight.
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Motsepe stressed that bringing back the two-year cycle protects the interests of African football and its 54 member associations. He also pointed to the tournament’s importance for African players, particularly those who earn their living at clubs abroad and rely on AFCON as a stage to represent their countries.
He went further, describing the competition as a platform that celebrates Africa’s rich diversity of cultures, traditions and customs, drawing together people from across the continent and the diaspora.
For supporters, the message is simple: no more four-year waits. Regular editions of the tournament will continue, keeping the continent’s football calendar lively and familiar.
National associations also benefit. They will have more frequent chances to chase continental glory and to tap into the commercial and developmental opportunities that come with playing in, or hosting, AFCON.
The decision marks a significant U-turn in CAF’s competition planning, and it restores the long-standing rhythm of African international football. The takeaway is clear: AFCON is back on its biennial schedule, with the next edition arriving in 2027.