The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reinstated the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as a biennial competition, reversing its earlier proposal to stage the tournament once every four years.
The governing body initially announced the change in December but abandoned the arrangement following further consultations and an assessment of its financial implications.
CAF had planned to introduce an African Nations League to maintain a regular continental competition. However, officials admitted that the proposed initiative would require several years to generate enough income to sustain itself.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe said restoring the two-year schedule was intended to safeguard the development of African football, protect the interests of its 54 member associations and support players competing for foreign clubs.
Senegal were initial winners of Afcon 2025 before the result was overturned in favour of Morocco
The competition’s scheduling has frequently clashed with European domestic leagues, as several recent editions have taken place during the middle of the football season.
The expansion of FIFA’s Club World Cup to 32 teams, which took place in June and July last year, also influenced CAF’s decision to organise AFCON during the European campaign.
The next edition is scheduled for 2027, with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda serving as joint hosts.
Subsequent competitions are expected in 2028, 2031 and 2033, while the 2030 edition will be skipped because of the FIFA World Cup.
Meanwhile, the 2025 tournament ended amid controversy after Senegal initially secured the championship before CAF’s subsequent ruling transferred the title to Morocco three months later.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong