Patrice Motsepe: CAF President Hits Back Critics Over New AFCON Decision

• Patrice Motsepe has addressed critics concerning CAF's decision to change the format of the Africa Cup of Nations
• The CAF President decided to move the competition from a two-year cycle to a four-year format starting from 2028
• The former Mamelodi Sundowns chairman went on to explain the reasons behind the reforms taken by the organisation

CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe has responded strongly to criticism surrounding the decision to shift the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) from its traditional two-year cycle to a four-year format, insisting the move is designed to strengthen African football rather than weaken it.

The 2025 edition of Africa's highest-ranked national team football competition took place in Morocco, with the Bafana Bafana of South Africa also participating in the tournament, while being rated among the favourites to win it alongside some other top countries.

During the start of the tournament in December, 2025, Motsepe also announced a massive increase in the prize money for the winners, starting from the next edition in East Africa

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Motsepe hits back at critics

Speaking at a tense closing press conference, Motsepe fired back at critics over CAF’s new strategic direction, following his announcement at the start of the 2025 edition that AFCON would no longer be staged biennially. He defended the decision as part of a broader reform agenda aimed at long-term growth.

Under the revised calendar, the newly introduced African Nations League will replace AFCON in the intervening years. Motsepe believes the competition will generate significantly higher revenue for CAF’s Member Associations, highlighted by a proposed prize purse of $10 million for the overall champions.

Concerns emerged during the tournament, suggesting the restructuring had been approved without adequate consultation with Member Associations. Motsepe firmly rejected those claims, stating that the decision had full backing and expressing confidence in a format that will be regionally hosted annually, except during World Cup qualification years.

Matches will be played across the September, October and November FIFA international windows, culminating in a finals tournament hosted at a single venue. The finals will feature champions from CAF’s six zones: CECAFA, COSAFA, WAFU A, WAFU B, UNAF and UNIFFAC.

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Motsepe explains the reason behind the decisions

Motsepe opened up that the reform process took several years to finalise and was unanimously endorsed by CAF’s leadership. He noted that while the African Super League had shown promise during its pilot phase, it failed to progress due to disagreements with financial partners over funding terms.

He also highlighted substantial increases in prize money across CAF competitions, including the Champions League and Confederation Cup, arguing that Africa’s 54 football nations are best placed to determine what serves the continent’s interests.

According to Motsepe, AFCON’s commercial returns fall well short of the revenue projections for the African Nations League, reinforcing CAF’s confidence in the new model. He added that CAF’s financial support to Member Associations has grown significantly since he assumed office, rising from $150,000 to $400,000.

Motsepe concluded by stressing that CAF’s leadership remains committed to African football and accountable to its stakeholders, expressing confidence that the outcomes of these reforms will ultimately validate the decisions taken.

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Bafana legend blasts CAF and FIFA

Briefly News also reported that a Bafana Bafana legend slams CAF and FIFA concerning their recent decision on the Africa Cup of Nations.

The former South African international is not happy with the African football governing body's decision to change the AFCON year cycle.

Source: Briefly News