The Africa Cup of Nations will now be held once every four years, starting after the 2028 edition, in a major shift from its traditional two-year cycle. The announcement was made on Saturday by Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe.
Motsepe said the decision is part of a broader restructuring of African football aimed at easing pressure on the crowded global football calendar and better aligning the continent’s competitions with international schedules.
While staging AFCON every two years has long been an important source of income for African football associations, CAF believes the introduction of an annual African Nations League will help offset the financial impact. The new competition is modelled after UEFA’s Nations League and is expected to generate increased prize money, resources and competitive opportunities.
“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,” Motsepe said in Rabat, a day before the opening match of the Morocco-hosted tournament. He also confirmed that CAF will open a bidding process for countries interested in hosting the 2028 edition.
According to Motsepe, the first African Nations League will be staged in 2029, after the FIFA Club World Cup, marking the start of the new four-year AFCON cycle.
The Africa Cup of Nations has been played largely every two years since its inaugural edition in 1957, but scheduling challenges have intensified in recent years. Conflicts with European club competitions, the rainy season in some host countries, and FIFA tournaments have repeatedly forced CAF to adjust dates.
Recent tournaments in Cameroon (2022) and Ivory Coast (2024) were held in January and February, while the 2019 edition in Egypt took place in June and July. The upcoming Morocco tournament will begin in December and run into the New Year, a compromise driven by the evolving international calendar.
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Motsepe said the changes are designed to create better balance between African competitions and global football demands.
“Our primary duty is to African football, but we also have a duty to African players playing for top clubs in Europe,” he explained. “We want more harmony and better synchronisation in the global calendar.”
The African Nations League will initially be regionalised, with 16 teams each in the east, west and central-southern zones, and six teams in the northern zone. Matches will be played in September and October, with zonal winners advancing to finals hosted in a single location in November.
In another boost for African football, Motsepe announced that prize money for the ongoing AFCON in Morocco has been increased, with the champions set to receive $10 million, up from $7 million at the 2024 tournament in Ivory Coast.
