CAF Makes Major U-turn on AFCON Format, Confirms New Tournament Schedule
- African football's biggest international tournament is returning to a familiar format after CAF reconsidered its previous decision
- Patrice Motsepe has explained why the proposed alternative competition could not deliver what African football needed
- The next four AFCON tournaments have been mapped out, with a notable gap in the calendar
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Briefly News as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Source: UGC
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reversed its decision to stage the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) every four years, confirming that the tournament will return to its traditional two-year cycle. CAF announced the decision on Thursday, 29 October 2026, after a unanimous vote by its Executive Committee.
The decision comes less than a year after CAF announced plans to change the competition's frequency. The reversal means African football supporters will continue seeing the continent's biggest national team competition more regularly than previously planned.
CAF reverses four-year AFCON plan
CAF President Patrice Motsepe confirmed that the organisation had reconsidered its earlier position following discussions at its Strategy Conference in Cabo Verde, held from 7 to 9 October 2026.
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
The original proposal was to introduce a new Africa Nations League, which would take place every two years and replace AFCON as the continent's regular international competition.
However, CAF acknowledged that the proposed competition would need several years to generate enough financial resources to support African football.
Motsepe explained the thinking behind the reversal.
"The decision by the CAF EXCO that the CAF AFCON should take place every Two Years was based on advancing, protecting and promoting the interest of African Football and CAF's 54 Member Associations, as well as the interest of African players employed by Football Clubs outside Africa," he said.
AFCON 2027, 2028, 2031 and 2033 confirmed
The next tournament will take place in 2027, with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda jointly hosting the competition. CAF has also confirmed the subsequent editions for 2028, 2031 and 2033.
No AFCON tournament will be held in 2030 because the FIFA World Cup will take place that year. CAF explained that continental national team competitions traditionally avoid being staged during a World Cup year.
Source: Twitter
Motsepe explains importance of AFCON
Motsepe also highlighted the competition's importance beyond football, describing it as an opportunity to celebrate Africa's diverse cultures and traditions. He said AFCON brings together people from the continent's 54 countries, the African diaspora and communities across the world.
The latest decision restores the familiar tournament schedule and gives African football another opportunity to strengthen its international competitiveness.
CAF's AFCON 2027 plans previously faced team expansion confusion
Briefly News previously reported that CAF had to clarify the number of participating nations at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations after conflicting media reports suggested the tournament would expand from 24 to 28 teams.
In a statement issued on 23 July 2026, CAF dismissed the reports, confirming that the East African tournament would retain its 24-team format.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
