In a landmark decision set to reshape the continental football calendar, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the end of the biennial Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). President Patrice Motsepe confirmed that the prestigious tournament will switch to a four-year cycle following the 2028 edition.
A New Era for African Football
The announcement was made by CAF President Patrice Motsepe on Saturday in Rabat, Morocco, on the eve of the opening match of the 2025 tournament hosted by Morocco. This change is part of a major restructuring designed to better integrate African football into an increasingly congested global schedule.
The current AFCON in Morocco will be the eighth edition since 2012, highlighting the rapid frequency of the competition. Motsepe outlined the immediate future, stating, "Our focus now is on this AFCON but in 2027 we will be going to Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda, and the AFCON after that will be in 2028." A bidding process for the 2028 hosts will be opened soon.
Introducing the African Nations League
To compensate for the reduced frequency of AFCON, which has been a vital revenue stream for national associations, CAF will launch an annual African Nations League. Modelled on the successful UEFA format, this new competition aims to fill the financial gap and increase competitive matches.
Motsepe revealed that the inaugural African Nations League will commence after the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup. He promised "more prize money, more resources, more competition" through this new tournament. The structure will be regionalised initially:
- 16 teams each in East, West, and Central-Southern zones.
- 6 teams in the Northern zone.
- Group matches in September and October.
- Finals in November at a single host venue.
Harmonising with the Global Calendar
The shift addresses long-standing scheduling conflicts. AFCON has traditionally been held every two years since 1957, but its placement has been problematic. The 2019 tournament in Egypt moved to June-July to appease European clubs, only for the 2022 (Cameroon) and 2024 (Ivory Coast) editions to revert to January-February to avoid regional rainy seasons.
The 2025 event was initially slated for June-July but was moved due to FIFA's expanded Club World Cup in the USA. It couldn't be held in early 2026 because of the World Cup, nor in its traditional January slot due to the new UEFA Champions League format, leading to the current December start.
Motsepe emphasised that the changes aim for global harmony: "Of course our primary duty is to African football but we also have a duty to the players from Africa playing for the best clubs in Europe... We want to make sure that there is more synchronisation."
In related news, prize money for the ongoing AFCON in Morocco has been increased, with the winners set to receive $10 million, up from $7 million in Ivory Coast 2024.
